Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !

India-Pakistan

Lakhvi will not provide voice samples to India, says lawyer

2015-07-13

[DAWN] Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi ...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long... , the alleged criminal mastermind of the Mumbai attacks in 2008, has refused to provide voice samples to India in relation to an investigation to indict him for involvement in the terror attacks on Indian soil, Hindustan Times reported on Sunday. Lakhvi's lawyer -- Rizwan Abbasi -- told the Indian media outlet that according to Pakistain's laws, the accused's consent was necessary for a voice sample. "My client has refused in the past and will refuse again," said Abbasi. The development comes only a couple of days after Pakistain's and India's premiers released a joint statement from Russia, vowing to expedite proceedings of the Mumbai attack case among other sticking points. Lakhvi was released from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail in April this year, after a court ordered dismissal of detention orders issued against him by the Okara DCO on March 14. The Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... government had previously maintained that Lakhvi was detained based on 'sensitive information' provided by intelligence agencies. India condemned Lakhvi's release deeming it an "insult" to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack. "This is a very disappointing announcement. An insult to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai attack. The global community should take serious note of Pakistain's double-speak on terrorism," said an Indian home ministry spokesperson who asked not to be named. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital.

Link

India-Pakistan

India condemns release of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi

2015-04-11

[DAWN] India condemned Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi ...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long... 's release deeming it an "insult" to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack. “This is a very disappointing announcement. An insult to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai attack. The global community should take serious note of Pakistan's double-speak on terrorism,” said an Indian home ministry spokesperson who asked not to be named. Pakistan annuls India's criticism Pakistan, while reacting to Indian remarks over Lakhvi’s release, said it would not be proper to cast aspersions on Pakistan’s commitment to countering terrorism at a time when Pakistan has entered a critical stage of defeating the menace of terrorism. Answering the concerns of Indian ministry spokesman, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasneem Alsam reminded India that the case of Mumbai attack suspects is subjudice. She said “inordinate delay in extending cooperation by India complicated the case and weakened the prosecution”. "We respect the judicial process and are confident that it would serve the interest of justice," she said. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-i-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

Link

India-Pakistan

Lahore High Court orders Lakhvi's release

2015-04-10

[DAWN] The Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed the detention orders of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi ...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long... , one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case, and ordered his release. The court was hearing a petition of Lakhvi challenging his fourth one-month detention ordered by the Okara DCO on March 14. The Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... government had previously maintained the stance that Lakhvi has been detained based on 'sensitive information' provided by intelligence agencies. Justice Anwarul Haq had directed the government's counsel to submit records of the information to the court, which was also presented in the Islamabad High Court in the past based on which the IHC had ordered Lakhvi's bail. The court upheld the stance that if this sensitive information was reliable, the IHC would not have accepted Lakhvi's bail. Therefore, the LHC ordered Lakhvi's release based on the lack of reliability of the sensitive information provided and directed the accused to play Rs20 lakhs in surety bonds to Adiala jail. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

Link

India-Pakistan

LHC rejects Lakhvi's petition challenging detention order

2015-03-21

[DAWN] The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday rejected Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's petition challenging the detention order against him. Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa said after the hearing that in light of recent circumstances, it is possible that releasing Lakhvi could cause turmoil in the country. Lakhvi had filed a petition with the Lahore High Court challenging the detention order passed against him by the Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... home department. The petition filed earlier through Advocate Rizwan Abbasi prayed to the court to set aside the detention of Lakhvi for being illegal and a violation of Islamabad High Court (IHC) order. On Mar 13, 2015 the third time detention orders on Lakhvi were declared void by the IHC ─ a day after which the Punjab home department reordered his detention. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi, along with Zarar Shah, was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

Link

India-Pakistan

Govt challenges Lakhvi's bail in IHC

2015-01-04

[DAWN] The government on Friday challenged the bail of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi -- the alleged criminal mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks -- in the Islamabad High Court today. Earlier on Dec 18, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had granted bail to Lakhvi. However, today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday... the federal government had extended his detention in the Adiala Jail under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutors Chaudhry Azhar and Hussain Pirzada petitioned to the court today, saying that the ATC had ignored testimony in the case while granting bail to Lakhvi. The application said there is solid testimony available against Lakhvi despite of which the ATC had sanctioned his bail, and pleaded that it should be rejected. The petition also alleged that Lakhvi's counsels had caused a delay in the case's proceedings. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.

Link

India-Pakistan

Mumbai attack 'mastermind' Lakhvi detained under MPO

2014-12-19

[DAWN] Alleged criminal mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi who was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad yesterday has been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. A senior government source told Dawn that the government has also decided to appeal against the approval of Lakhvi's bail in superior courts. The ATC had ordered the release of Lakhvi after his post-arrest bail plea was accepted and Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi had set Lakhvi's bail at Rs1 million. The decision drew a sharp reaction from India and surprised many with its unfortunate timing, coming just days after one of the deadliest terror attacks the country has ever seen. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people. The acceptance of his bail plea had come as Pakistain was mourning the deaths of school children and other victims of Tuesday's Taliban massacre and New Delhi had made a visible effort to show solidarity with Islamabad. The massacre and the reaction to it was followed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... 's lifting of the moratorium imposed on capital punishment in the country.

Link

India-Pakistan

ATC approves bail of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Mumbai attacks case

2014-12-18

[DAWN] Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the main accused in the Mumbai attacks case, was granted bail on Thursday by an anti-terrrorism court. The Federal Investigation Agency's prosecutor disagreed with the bail plea. However, there's more than one way to skin a cat... Advocate Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer representing Lakhvi, stood before the court as the bail was approved. The court has directed Lakhvi to pay surety bonds worth Rs500,000 before he can be released on bail. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people. The acceptance of his bail plea came as Pakistain is mourning the deaths of school children and other victims of Tuesday's Taliban massacre and New Delhi has made a visible effort to show solidarity with Islamabad. The proceedings of the case began in 2009 at the ATC in Rawalpindi and the case was transferred to the ATC in Islamabad the next year. In April this year however, proceedings came to a virtual standstill as special judge of the ATC expressed his inability to conduct the trial of the seven suspects due to security reasons. This came following a terrorist attack on the district courts in Islamabad in the month of March.

Link

India-Pakistan

Lakhvi's counsel fears attempt on life

2010-01-14

The Lahore High Court chief justice has issued notices to the federal interior secretary, the attorney general, Pakistan, and the Punjab advocate general for Jan 21 on a petition seeking transfer of case of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, accused of Mumbai terrorist attacks, from Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court to Lahore. Khwaja Sultan, counsel of Lakhvi, submitted that as he had to travel a long way to reach the ATC in Rawalpindi, he could be targeted by Indian agencies' personnel, who, he said, were present in and around the capital city, for pursuing the case. He said Lahore was a safer place compared to Islamabad. Rawalpindi ATC is holding in-camera proceeding of the case inside Adiala Jail. Special Investigation Cell (SIC) had registered a case against eight suspects -- Hamad Ameen Sadiq, Zarar Shah, Hamza alias Abu Alqa, Mr Khan, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Javed Iqbal, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Muhammad Ashfaq -- for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The SIC had arrested them on Feb 12, 2009.

Link

India-Pakistan

Pakistan: Report finds evidence linking militant group to Mumbai bombings

2009-07-30

[ADN Kronos] Pakistani investigators have found substantial evidence directly connecting the militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to last year's Mumbai terrorist attacks which killed 166 people and injured 300 others, said an official report published on Wednesday. The findings provided the basis for the trial which started last week of five arrested LeT operatives by an anti-terrorism court inside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail. "The investigation has established beyond any reasonable doubt that the defunct LeT activists conspired, abetted, planned, financed and established communication network to carry out terror attacks in Mumbai," said the report. It is the first time that Pakistanis are being tried inside the country for carrying out terrorist attacks on foreign soil. Political and security analysts in the capital Islamabad said the serious nature of investigation into LeT's involvement and the trial indicated Pakistan's determination and commitment not to allow its territory to be used for planning and launching terrorist attacks. An updated report on Pakistani investigation handed over to India on 11 July said the material recovered from LeT camps in Karachi and the coastal town of Thatta indicated that the terrorists were provided training and weapons by the militant outfit. The investigation gives some new and startling details about people involved in training and providing finances for the worst terrorist attack in India which heightened tensions between the two South Asian nations. The LeT, which is the most powerful Pakistan-based Jihadi group, was outlawed in 2002, but it continued to operate in Kashmir. Western intelligence agencies maintain it continued its activities in Pakistan under the banner of Jamaatud Dawa, the charity wing of the group which also was declared a terrorist outfit by the United Nations Security Council earlier this year. Pakistan has already arrested and charged five LeT commanders including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah with planning and facilitating the bloody assault. The other three accused are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Mazhar Iqbal alias Al Qama and Shahid Jamil Riaz, all activists of LeT. Ajmal Amir Qasab, the sole surviving gunman of the Mumbai attack who is now in Indian custody, in his statement named Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and some other LeT commanders for training and launching the terrorists. Qasab who came from the town of Faridkot in Pakistan's Punjab, was among 10 terrorists who carried out the attacks. The other nine killed during the attacks also belonged to Punjab which is the main stronghold of LeT. The accused were taken on Saturday before a makeshift anti-terrorism court in the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi. "There are sufficient oral, direct documentary, circumstantial and scientific evidence which directly connect the accused with the commission of the offence," said the charge-sheet. Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Mazhar Iqbal (also known as 'Al Qama') have also been charged with planning, preparation and execution of the attacks and operational handling of the 10 terrorists. Lakhvi, the top commander of the LeT who was arrested on 18 February, is a resident of Rinala Khurd in the district of Okara. He is named as the mastermind of the entire Mumbai massacre operation. Investigators here said they had recovered handwritten diaries, training manuals, Indian maps and operational instructions from the LeT camps. "The accused were running training camps for terrorists, providing sea and navigational training, conducting intelligence courses and directions for terrorist attack," the report said. According to the new details, training sessions, codenamed 'Azizabad', were held in an LeT camp in the Pakistani city of Karachi from where the investigators seized militant literature, inflatable lifeboats, detailed maps of the Indian coastline, handwritten literature on navigational training and manual of an intelligence course. Another training camp in Thatta was housed in five thatched rooms about two kilometres from a creek from where small boats sail to the sea. The terrorists also received training in this camp. The investigators seized pocket diaries containing names of the accused and other persons and details of expenditure of the camp. Pakistan has asked Indian authorities to provide more information about Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, the Indian nationals suspected to be involved in facilitating the attack. Both are in custody and the Indian authorities had earlier denied that any of their nationals was involved in the attacks. During investigations, the two had confessed to visiting Lahore, Rawalpindi, Muridke, Karachi and Muzaffarabad. They were also believed to be in contact with the five accused.

Link

India-Pakistan

26/11 suspects' charge sheet submitted

2009-07-19

The Special Investigation Group (SIG) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday submitted an updated supplementary charge sheet in court against five persons suspected of involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) No II in Adiala Jail, headed by Judge Baqir Ali Rana, is trying five suspects - Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Shahid Jamil Riaz and Hammad Amin Sadiq - to determine their alleged involvement in last year's Mumbai attacks. Court sources said the SIG also presented a confession statement of the sole surviving terrorist of the Mumbai attacks, Ajmal Kasab, before the court, which he made before an Indian magistrate. The sources said the FIA had also acquired arrest warrants for another 22 suspects wanted in connection with the Mumbai attacks. The FIA also requested the court to allow an in-camera trial of the accused.

Link

India-Pakistan

India responsible for delay in 26/11 probe: Malik

2009-07-12

India is responsible for the delay in the "India has failed in providing details about the SIMs, the GPRS system used in the attacks and some other relevant information." investigation into the Mumbai attacks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday. Well, damn them! Talking to reporters after meeting Indian High Commissioner Man Preet Vohra, the interior minister said New Delhi had not provided Islamabad any significant details regarding the attacks. "We're kinda vaguely aware that something happened, but we're not sure what it wuz or who dunnit." Demanding that India expedite the investigation, Malik said, "India has failed in providing details about the SIMs, the GPRS system used in the attacks and some other relevant information." "All that stuff that could be changed in the next attack so that the finger wouldn't point quite so unequivocably at us." He said the trial of five men accused in the Mumbai attacks is likely to start next week. Malik said the five accused included Hamaad Amin Sadiq, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Mazhar Iqbal, Abdul Wajid and Shahid Jamil Riaz, adding that the men's second challan would be submitted in court on July 20.

Link

India-Pakistan

Warrants issued for Mumbai attacks suspect

2009-06-06

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday issued warrants for the arrest of a suspected terrorist involved in the Mumbai attacks, sources learnt. A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) inspector told the ATC that Muhammad Khan, a resident of Turbat in Balochistan, had allegedly provided a boat to the terrorists to reach Mumbai, sources said. The inspector had sought an arrest warrant for the accused who is wanted by the FIA for investigation. The ATC is already trying five suspects, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a resident of Islamabad; Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah of Sheikupura; Mazhar Iqbal alias Abu Al-Qama of Islamabad; Shahid Jamil Riaz of Nasirabad, Bahawalpur; and Hammad Amin Sadiq of Rahimyar Khan, at the Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More