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Pakistan charges seven for Mumbai | Pakistan charges seven for Mumbai |
(30 minutes later) | |
A court in Pakistan has charged seven people in connection with last year's attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai. | |
They include the alleged mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. | |
Mr Lakhvi and the other suspects were charged under Pakistan's anti-terrorism act and criminal code. All seven have pleaded not guilty, their lawyers say. | Mr Lakhvi and the other suspects were charged under Pakistan's anti-terrorism act and criminal code. All seven have pleaded not guilty, their lawyers say. |
More than 170 people, including nine gunmen, were killed in the attacks in November. Nine other suspects have been charged in absentia. | |
Some of those are thought to be at large in Pakistan - others overseas. | |
The attacks led India to suspend peace talks with Pakistan. Indian PM Manmohan Singh said in July talks would not restart until the Mumbai attacks suspects were brought to justice. | |
Timing doubts | |
The AFP news agency said seven suspects who were charged in court included alleged key Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Zarar Shah. | |
The suspects are charged with planning the Mumbai attacks. It is alleged they trained and equipped the gunmen who attacked the city. | |
The charges were read to them at a special anti-terrorist court set up inside the Rawalpindi jail where they are being held. | |
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says some may question the timing of the charges, coming as they do on the eve of the first anniversary of the attacks. | |
Pakistan's government had initially announced the trial would start in early July, but it was postponed. The authorities say they needed time to gather evidence. | |
Our correspondent says the delay could also have been caused in part by wrangling between Pakistan and India. Islamabad, which does not want to be seen to be kow-towing, has accused its neighbour of taking months to hand over vital evidence needed to secure arrests. | |
India and the US have demanded Pakistan take steps against those who plan attacks on its soil - and they will be looking at this case for evidence that Islamabad is serious, our correspondent says. | |
Prosecutors say they are determined to bring convictions and secure the maximum sentence for those in the dock. | |
Following the attacks, Pakistan rounded up a number of suspects - among them the Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed who spent some time in custody before being released due to lack of evidence. He has denied any involvement. |