A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has adjourned for more than a month a
case against five men accused of being involved in November's terror
attacks in India's commercial city of Mumbai.
During a closed
briefing Saturday, a judge heard brief statements from both sides
before delaying the case until August 29. The five suspects appeared
at a high-security facility, Adiala Jail, in Rawalpindi, a garrison
city just outside of Islamabad.
A defense attorney, Shahbaz Rajput, told reporters the suspects have not yet been formally charged.
Relations
between India and Pakistan have been strained since last year's deadly
siege that killed 166 people in Mumbai. India blames the Pakistani
militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, and says Pakistan has not done enough
to bring those responsible to justice.
On Saturday, court
officials in Rawalpindi said defense attorneys asked for the
prosecution to turn over evidence. The government argued for a closed
trial because of the sensitivity of the case.
The
suspects in court Saturday included Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a member of
Lashkar-e-Taiba who is accused of masterminding the attack.
Earlier
this week, a judge in India ordered the trial for the only surviving
gunman in the Mumbai attacks to go forward, even though the defendant
pleaded guilty. The prosecution says it believes the defendant,
Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, pleaded guilty in order to get
a more lenient sentence.
Kasab faces 86 charges and faces the death penalty if convicted.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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