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| Suspected mastermind of Mumbai terror attack released from Pakistan jail | Suspected mastermind of Mumbai terror attack released from Pakistan jail |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The man accused of masterminding the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai has walked free from a Pakistani jail after detention orders against him were dropped. | The man accused of masterminding the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai has walked free from a Pakistani jail after detention orders against him were dropped. |
| The decision of Lahore’s high court to release Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged military chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, was described as an “insult to the victims” of the attack, in which 166 people were killed. | The decision of Lahore’s high court to release Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged military chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, was described as an “insult to the victims” of the attack, in which 166 people were killed. |
| Delhi is frustrated by Pakistan’s seven-year failure to successfully prosecute any of those allegedly involved in sending a boatload of young suicide attackers to India’s financial capital. | Delhi is frustrated by Pakistan’s seven-year failure to successfully prosecute any of those allegedly involved in sending a boatload of young suicide attackers to India’s financial capital. |
| Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer acting for Lakhvi, confirmed his client had been released from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi following the end of his “illegal detention”. | Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer acting for Lakhvi, confirmed his client had been released from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi following the end of his “illegal detention”. |
| “Justice Anwar ul-Haq in his orders declared the detention unjustified and ordered an immediate release of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from the jail,” he said. | “Justice Anwar ul-Haq in his orders declared the detention unjustified and ordered an immediate release of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from the jail,” he said. |
| Pakistan’s government had battled to keep Lakhvi behind bars since he was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on 18 December last year, two days after a Taliban massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar prompted the government to make grand promises to crack down on terrorist groups. | Pakistan’s government had battled to keep Lakhvi behind bars since he was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on 18 December last year, two days after a Taliban massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar prompted the government to make grand promises to crack down on terrorist groups. |
| The state, however, was only able to use “maintenance of public order” legislation to hold him, because prosecutors have failed to marshal a case against him. | The state, however, was only able to use “maintenance of public order” legislation to hold him, because prosecutors have failed to marshal a case against him. |
| A spokesman for India’s interior ministry, who asked not to be named, criticised Lakhvi’s release, calling the court’s decision “an insult to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack”. | A spokesman for India’s interior ministry, who asked not to be named, criticised Lakhvi’s release, calling the court’s decision “an insult to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack”. |
| “The global community should take serious note of Pakistan’s double-speak on terrorism,” the spokesman added. | “The global community should take serious note of Pakistan’s double-speak on terrorism,” the spokesman added. |
| Abbasi said he would fight any other government attempts to keep Lakhvi locked up. | Abbasi said he would fight any other government attempts to keep Lakhvi locked up. |
| “[For the] last four months, we have fought for justice against the government decision to keep my client in illegal detention,” he said. “If this is something the government again wishes to do, we are ready to knock the door of the courts once again.” | |
| India’s interior minister, Rajnath Singh, said: “India wants talks with Pakistan, but the present development is unfortunate and very disappointing.” | India’s interior minister, Rajnath Singh, said: “India wants talks with Pakistan, but the present development is unfortunate and very disappointing.” |
| The two countries have fought three major wars since gaining their independence from Britain in 1947. | The two countries have fought three major wars since gaining their independence from Britain in 1947. |
| Relations looked set to improve last year after the newly elected Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, invited his counterpart to his inauguration, but they deteriorated rapidly amid fierce exchanges of artillery fire and clashes along the disputed border between the two south Asian states. | Relations looked set to improve last year after the newly elected Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, invited his counterpart to his inauguration, but they deteriorated rapidly amid fierce exchanges of artillery fire and clashes along the disputed border between the two south Asian states. |
| Earlier this week, in anticipation of the release, an Indian government spokesman said that “known terrorists not being effectively prosecuted constitutes a real security threat for India and the world”. | Earlier this week, in anticipation of the release, an Indian government spokesman said that “known terrorists not being effectively prosecuted constitutes a real security threat for India and the world”. |
| Lakhvi was originally arrested in December 2008 following the gunmen’s three-day rampage in Mumbai’s main railway station, five-star hotels and a cafe. | |
| Lakhvi, known as “chacha Zaki” within LeT, is accused of personally directing the 10 young attackers by phone from a safe house in Karachi. | Lakhvi, known as “chacha Zaki” within LeT, is accused of personally directing the 10 young attackers by phone from a safe house in Karachi. |
| Despite phone-tap and witness evidence, including the confession of the sole surviving attacker, critics say a prosecution is unthinkable given the close relationship Pakistan’s military has had with LeT, a jihadi group established in the early 1990s as an off-the-books force to help Pakistan prise the contested region of Kashmir away from India. | Despite phone-tap and witness evidence, including the confession of the sole surviving attacker, critics say a prosecution is unthinkable given the close relationship Pakistan’s military has had with LeT, a jihadi group established in the early 1990s as an off-the-books force to help Pakistan prise the contested region of Kashmir away from India. |
| Any prosecution, let alone extradition to India, could risk revealing any ongoing ties between Pakistan’s intelligence establishment and LeT. | Any prosecution, let alone extradition to India, could risk revealing any ongoing ties between Pakistan’s intelligence establishment and LeT. |
| Lakhvi is said to have had a relatively comfortable stay behind bars, enjoying perks including a television and access to a mobile phone, as well as being able to father a child. | Lakhvi is said to have had a relatively comfortable stay behind bars, enjoying perks including a television and access to a mobile phone, as well as being able to father a child. |
| Sourav Mishra, a 35-year-old Mumbai resident who was injured in the attacks of 2008, said he hoped to see the perpetrators prosecuted and jailed in Pakistan, but understood that the neighbouring state “was in a lot of trouble right now and that it would be very difficult for them to nail someone for a crime that happened in India”.“I was very pained because on that day my own country failed to protect its citizens. There were attacks before and after [November 2008]. I think now perhaps we are better protected, but Mumbai has faced so many attacks you always feel vulnerable,” said Mishra, who was in the famous Leopold’s Cafe when it was attacked by the gunmen. | |
| India has repeatedly submitted its own evidence to Pakistani authorities. | |
| Rehman featured in the testimony of David Headley, a US national of Pakistani origin who joined LeT and carried out reconnaissance missions in Mumbai for the 26/11 attacks. Headley cooperated with US authorities after his arrest in 2009 and was eventually jailed in the US for 35 years. Headley was interviewed by Indian investigators while in custody and spoke at length about his relationship with Pakistani intelligence services. | |
| Rehman was also mentioned repeatedly in the testimony of Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman, who was convicted of terrorist charges and hanged in India in 2012. Kasab described Rehman handpicking the group of attackers and overseeing their training. | Rehman was also mentioned repeatedly in the testimony of Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman, who was convicted of terrorist charges and hanged in India in 2012. Kasab described Rehman handpicking the group of attackers and overseeing their training. |