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Pakistani judge grants bail to alleged key figure in 2008 Mumbai terror attack Pakistani military chief signs death warrants for six ‘hard-core’ terrorists
(about 3 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – A Pakistani court on Thursday granted bail to a key suspect in a deadly 2008 assault in Mumbai, sparking outrage in India and further muddying perceptions about Pakistan’s resolve to combat terrorism. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Just two days after a school massacre stunned the nation, Pakistani leaders on Thursday moved to expedite the executions of prisoners convicted of taking part in major terrorist attacks.
The judicial decision — made over objections from government lawyers — comes as Pakistani leaders vow major crackdowns on militants after Taliban gunmen killed 148 students and teachers in an attack in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday. Gen. Raheel Sharif, head of the country’s powerful military, signed death warrants for six “hard-core terrorists.” The warrants are non-appealable, and the prisoners are expected to be hanged within days.
Sharif’s decision came just 24 hours after the prime minister rescinded a moratorium on executions.
The six prisoners facing imminent execution had been convicted in a military court.
The men are part of a pool of more than five dozen prisoners that government officials are eying for likely execution now that the moratorium has been lifted, officials said Thursday.
The crackdown comes after Taliban gunmen killed 148 students and teachers in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday. But the Islamabad government’s subsequent pledges to aggressively combat all forms of terrorism were undermined Thursday when a Pakistani court granted bail to a key suspect in a deadly 2008 assault in Mumbai, sparking outrage in India.
The decision – made over the objections of government lawyers – is once again testing efforts to improve diplomatic relations between Pakistan and India.
“Does Pakistan not think of the Mumbai terror attack as a big thing?” said Ujjwal Nikam, the public prosecutor in the November 2008 assault, which began with commando-style strikes and culminated with a siege at the city’s landmark Taj hotel, killing 166 people.“Does Pakistan not think of the Mumbai terror attack as a big thing?” said Ujjwal Nikam, the public prosecutor in the November 2008 assault, which began with commando-style strikes and culminated with a siege at the city’s landmark Taj hotel, killing 166 people.
At a hastily arranged news conference in Mumbai, Nikam accused Pakistan of “following two standards.”At a hastily arranged news conference in Mumbai, Nikam accused Pakistan of “following two standards.”
“One policy to deal with Taliban’s terror, another when groups are targeting India,” he said.“One policy to deal with Taliban’s terror, another when groups are targeting India,” he said.
Hours earlier, a judge in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi granted Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, an alleged leader of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, a $10,000 bail.Hours earlier, a judge in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi granted Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, an alleged leader of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, a $10,000 bail.
Lakhvi’s attorney, Rizwan Abbasi, said there was no “substantial evidence” against his client other than claims that he was a commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group.Lakhvi’s attorney, Rizwan Abbasi, said there was no “substantial evidence” against his client other than claims that he was a commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group.
“This charge can’t prove he was involved in the Mumbai attack. And it also couldn’t be proved that he was commander” of the group, he said.“This charge can’t prove he was involved in the Mumbai attack. And it also couldn’t be proved that he was commander” of the group, he said.
Calling the situation “unfortunate,” India’s minister of home affairs, Rajnath Singh, demanded that Pakistani leaders appeal Lakhvi’s release.Calling the situation “unfortunate,” India’s minister of home affairs, Rajnath Singh, demanded that Pakistani leaders appeal Lakhvi’s release.
In the 2008 attacks, 10 gunmen from Lashkar-e-Taiba entered Mumbai from the sea via Karachi and waged a campaign of terror over two days, Armed with explosives and automatic rifles, they launched a coordinated attack on the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel as well as a synagogue and educational center. About 300 people were wounded.In the 2008 attacks, 10 gunmen from Lashkar-e-Taiba entered Mumbai from the sea via Karachi and waged a campaign of terror over two days, Armed with explosives and automatic rifles, they launched a coordinated attack on the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel as well as a synagogue and educational center. About 300 people were wounded.
One of the Pakistani terrorists linked to the attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was arrested by the police during the attack and hanged in 2012. But Pakistan, which has fought three major wars with India, refused to hand over the additional suspects.One of the Pakistani terrorists linked to the attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was arrested by the police during the attack and hanged in 2012. But Pakistan, which has fought three major wars with India, refused to hand over the additional suspects.
Lakhvi and six other men were brought up on charges in Pakistan.Lakhvi and six other men were brought up on charges in Pakistan.
“We call upon the government of Pakistan to immediately take steps to reverse this decision. There can be no selective approaches to terrorism,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.“We call upon the government of Pakistan to immediately take steps to reverse this decision. There can be no selective approaches to terrorism,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
There was no immediate official comment from Pakistan. A Pakistani diplomatic official, who was not authoritized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the country “has independent courts” but stressed that the government will file an appeal. There was no immediate official comment from Pakistan. A Pakistani diplomatic official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the country “has independent courts” and stressed that the government will file an appeal.
With Pakistan still grieving over the massacre at the army-run school, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said in recent days that the country will crush terrorism in all its “forms and manifestations.” But the court’s decision is reigniting long-standing perceptions that Pakistan maintains a double standard when it comes to terrorism. Lashkar-e-Taiba, founded in 1990 with support from Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, aims to drive India out of Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region claimed by both countries.
And, despite decades of hostility between the two countries, India’s prime minister called Sharif on Wednesday to offer his condolences for the attack. Schoolchildren across India also observed a two-minute silence on Wednesday for the victims. India and Pakistan have fought two major wars over Kashmir. And India has long demanded that Pakistan act against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the leader of Lashkar-e-Taliba, who lives openly in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
Pakistani intelligence officials suspect the attack was planned from Afghanistan, where many top Pakistani Taliban leaders are thought to reside. Still, despite the decades of hostility between the two countries, India’s prime minister called Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday to offer his condolences for the Taliban attack in Peshawar.
Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, traveled to Kabul on Wednesday to seek Afghanistan’s help in capturing those leaders. Under pressure from human rights groups and European donors, Pakistan imposed a moratorium on capital punishment in 2008. Activists allege that hundreds of prisoners have gone “missing” since then, and they suspect that there have been extrajudicial killings. Military officials deny the claim.
In northwestern Pakistan, a hub of Taliban activity, police issued an alert to all the prisons warning that militants could attack in attempt to free jailed fighters. In addition to the six prisoners scheduled to be hanged soon, the government has forwarded the names of 63 terrorists who are being held for capital crimes but have exhausted their appeals. Those prisoners are likely to be executed in the coming months, officials said.
Prime Minister Sharif, no relation to the army chief, also announced Wednesday that Pakistan was lifting a moratorium on the death penalty. Sharif met with Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain, who oversees death-row appeals, on Thursday to begin preparing a strategy for expediting justice in terrorism cases. Pakistan’s Express Tribune News, which first reported the decision, said the prisoners who now face execution have links to some of the country’s most high-profile attacks, including a 2009 shooting in Lahore in which six players from the Sri Lankan cricket team were wounded.
But U.S. leaders and many analysts have long argued that any successful strategy for combating terrorism in the region also must involve India, a crucial ally to Afghanistan. In northwestern Pakistan, a hub of Taliban activity, the news of the impending executions put officials on edge.
India has long demanded that Pakistan act against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the leader of Lashkar-e-Taliba, who lives openly in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. On Thursday, the inspector general in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province issued a “red alert” to prisons, warning that militants could strike in an attempt to free imprisoned fighters.
“Matter most urgent,” the alert states.
Gowen reported from New Delhi. Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report.Gowen reported from New Delhi. Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report.