26/11 attacks: Pak indicts seven

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Wednesday indicted seven suspects over last year’s attacks in Mumbai that killed over 160 people, reports Kamal Siddiqi.

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Wednesday indicted seven suspects over last year’s attacks in Mumbai that killed over 160 people.

The move came on the eve of the first anniversary of the Mumbai attacks amidst rising criticism over Pakistan’s slow response to track those involved in the attacks and in charging them.

All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The seven people Pakistan arrested over the November 26-29 siege included the alleged mastermind of the operation, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and alleged Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) operative Zarar Shah.

LeT has been accused of carrying out a spate of deadly attacks on Indian soil over the past decade.

“All seven of them have been indicted, including Lakhvi. The accused pleaded not guilty as evidence is not supported by the charges,” Shahbaz Rajput, a lawyer at the trial, told a news agency.

“They have been indicted under the anti-terrorism act and the Pakistani penal code,” Rajput said. Hafiz Saeed, the head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa aid group, which is suspected of having strong links to LeT, has not been charged.