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Pakistani Court Releases Militant Leader Tied to Mumbai Attacks on Bail Pakistani Court Releases Militant Leader Tied to Mumbai Attacks on Bail
(35 minutes later)
In a move likely to further strain relations with India, a Pakistani court on Friday released on bail Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a militant commander accused of orchestrating the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In a move likely to further strain relations with India, a Pakistani court on Friday released on bail Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a militant commander accused of orchestrating the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people.
Mr. Lakhvi and six other members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, which carried out the attack, have been on trial at the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi since 2009.Mr. Lakhvi and six other members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, which carried out the attack, have been on trial at the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi since 2009.
The trial has been conducted in secret and been subject to halting progress, often giving the appearance of being influenced by the vagaries of wider tensions between Pakistan and India.The trial has been conducted in secret and been subject to halting progress, often giving the appearance of being influenced by the vagaries of wider tensions between Pakistan and India.
A court ruling in December that Mr. Lakhvi should be released on bail was opposed by the government led by Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister, which employed various legal maneuvers to keep him in detention.A court ruling in December that Mr. Lakhvi should be released on bail was opposed by the government led by Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister, which employed various legal maneuvers to keep him in detention.
But those efforts collapsed on Thursday when a Pakistani high court ordered Mr. Lakhvi’s immediate release on bail.But those efforts collapsed on Thursday when a Pakistani high court ordered Mr. Lakhvi’s immediate release on bail.
It was not immediately clear where the militant leader went after he walked free from Adiala jail around 1 p.m. on Friday. It was not clear where the militant leader went after he walked free from Adiala jail around 1 p.m. on Friday.
“He is free now and in a secure place,” a senior official with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s charity wing, told Agence France-Presse.“He is free now and in a secure place,” a senior official with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s charity wing, told Agence France-Presse.
The six other suspects remain under detention in the Adiala jail.The six other suspects remain under detention in the Adiala jail.
India has openly accused Mr. Lakhvi, widely considered to be the operational head of Lashkar-e-Taiba, of coordinating the November 2008 Mumbai attacks by phone from a base inside Pakistan.India has openly accused Mr. Lakhvi, widely considered to be the operational head of Lashkar-e-Taiba, of coordinating the November 2008 Mumbai attacks by phone from a base inside Pakistan.
The trial has become a point of contention in relations with India, which has frequently protested its slow progress. Pakistani officials say the evidence presented by India is too weak to stand up in court.The trial has become a point of contention in relations with India, which has frequently protested its slow progress. Pakistani officials say the evidence presented by India is too weak to stand up in court.
On Thursday, in response to a question on the court order at a news briefing, the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs in India said that the country’s “concerns on this issue have been made known to the government of Pakistan in the past.”On Thursday, in response to a question on the court order at a news briefing, the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs in India said that the country’s “concerns on this issue have been made known to the government of Pakistan in the past.”
“The fact is that known terrorists not being effectively prosecuted constitutes a real security threat for India and the world,” said Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesman. “This also erodes the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to us with regard to cross-border terrorism.”“The fact is that known terrorists not being effectively prosecuted constitutes a real security threat for India and the world,” said Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesman. “This also erodes the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to us with regard to cross-border terrorism.”
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a conservative Hindu, took office last year. Along the disputed border, Pakistani and Indian troops have engaged in some of the deadliest artillery exchanges in years, killing dozens of people, many of them civilians.Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a conservative Hindu, took office last year. Along the disputed border, Pakistani and Indian troops have engaged in some of the deadliest artillery exchanges in years, killing dozens of people, many of them civilians.
Mr. Modi was openly critical when a Pakistan court first granted Mr. Lahkvi bail in December, although the authorities prevented his immediate release by invoking a colonial-era public order law.Mr. Modi was openly critical when a Pakistan court first granted Mr. Lahkvi bail in December, although the authorities prevented his immediate release by invoking a colonial-era public order law.
Lashkar has a long and close association with the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, which views the group as a useful covert tool in its decades-old rivalry with India. Its charity wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, has its headquarters in the eastern city of Lahore, where its leader, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, lives openly under police protection.Lashkar has a long and close association with the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, which views the group as a useful covert tool in its decades-old rivalry with India. Its charity wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, has its headquarters in the eastern city of Lahore, where its leader, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, lives openly under police protection.
Mr. Saeed moves about Pakistan freely, making speeches, fund-raising and appearing on television, in spite of a $10 million United States government reward offered for information leading to his prosecution.Mr. Saeed moves about Pakistan freely, making speeches, fund-raising and appearing on television, in spite of a $10 million United States government reward offered for information leading to his prosecution.
In the past year, Jamaat-ud-Dawa has expanded its charitable operations in the southern province of Sindh, which was previously known as a center of religious moderation, raising fears about the failure of the country’s civilian and military leaders to check the spread of extremism.In the past year, Jamaat-ud-Dawa has expanded its charitable operations in the southern province of Sindh, which was previously known as a center of religious moderation, raising fears about the failure of the country’s civilian and military leaders to check the spread of extremism.
While the military has cracked down hard on the Pakistani Taliban since gunmen killed 150 people, mostly children, at a school in Peshawar in December, it has avoided militant groups, such as Lashkar, that share the military’s strategic goals in relation to India.While the military has cracked down hard on the Pakistani Taliban since gunmen killed 150 people, mostly children, at a school in Peshawar in December, it has avoided militant groups, such as Lashkar, that share the military’s strategic goals in relation to India.
On Thursday, Mr. Saeed led a rally in the capital, Islamabad, at which he urged Mr. Sharif’s government to ally with Saudi Arabia in attacking Houthi rebels in Yemen.On Thursday, Mr. Saeed led a rally in the capital, Islamabad, at which he urged Mr. Sharif’s government to ally with Saudi Arabia in attacking Houthi rebels in Yemen.