 |
|
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was released early Friday
|
(CNN)A man charged with planning the deadly 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in India has been released on bail in Pakistan after years of detention, prompting sharp criticism from India.
Zaki-ur-Rehman
Lakhvi, a top leader of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was
released early Friday from a jail in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi,
according to Yahya Mujahid, spokesman for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a group with
which Lakhvi is affiliated.
Lakhvi, a top leader of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was
released early Friday from a jail in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi,
according to Yahya Mujahid, spokesman for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a group with
which Lakhvi is affiliated.
Lakhvi was
charged in Pakistan in 2009, accused of masterminding the November 2008
terror attacks that left more than 160 people dead in Mumbai, India’s
most populous city.
charged in Pakistan in 2009, accused of masterminding the November 2008
terror attacks that left more than 160 people dead in Mumbai, India’s
most populous city.
Lakhvi still faces
trial in the case. But an anti-terrorism court granted Lakhvi bail last
year, a decision the Pakistani government said it would challenge.
trial in the case. But an anti-terrorism court granted Lakhvi bail last
year, a decision the Pakistani government said it would challenge.
That
challenge lasted until Thursday, when the Lahore High Court ordered his
release, CNN affiliate and Pakistani outlet GEO News reported.
challenge lasted until Thursday, when the Lahore High Court ordered his
release, CNN affiliate and Pakistani outlet GEO News reported.
Lakhvi posted bail totaling 2 million Pakistani rupees (more than $19,000), according to GEO News.
India, Pakistan’s neighbor and rival, condemned Lakhvi’s bail release on Friday.
The
country contacted Pakistan’s foreign secretary to underline “that this
has reinforced the perception that Pakistan has a dual policy on dealing
with terrorists, and those who have carried out attacks or are posing a
threat to India are being dealt with differently,” said Syed
Akbaruddin, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
country contacted Pakistan’s foreign secretary to underline “that this
has reinforced the perception that Pakistan has a dual policy on dealing
with terrorists, and those who have carried out attacks or are posing a
threat to India are being dealt with differently,” said Syed
Akbaruddin, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The
accusation that Pakistan might treat India differently highlights
long-running tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, which
have fought three wars against each other since their partition at the
end of British colonial rule.
accusation that Pakistan might treat India differently highlights
long-running tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, which
have fought three wars against each other since their partition at the
end of British colonial rule.
Pakistan’s
Foreign Office responded Friday by saying, “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.”
Foreign Office responded Friday by saying, “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.”
The Foreign Office also blamed what it said was India’s delay in cooperating in the case, saying it “weakened the prosecution.”
In
the Mumbai attacks, heavily armed men stormed landmark buildings around
Mumbai, including luxury hotels, the city’s historic Victoria Terminus
train station and a Jewish cultural center.
the Mumbai attacks, heavily armed men stormed landmark buildings around
Mumbai, including luxury hotels, the city’s historic Victoria Terminus
train station and a Jewish cultural center.
India
executed the last surviving gunman from the attacks in 2012. Other
suspects were all killed during the series of attacks, which went on for
three days.
executed the last surviving gunman from the attacks in 2012. Other
suspects were all killed during the series of attacks, which went on for
three days.
CNN’s Harmeet Singh contributed to this report.
source: cnn.com
