Pak anti-terrorism court adjourns 26/11 trial again - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The anti-terrorism court (ATC), set-up in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, on Saturday (October 31) once again adjourned the hearing of the Mumbai terror attack case till November 7. According to sources, Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, after hearing the arguments of the defence lawyers representing the 26/11 accused, adjourned the hearing till the next date. Media has been barred from covering the case due to security reasons, however, sources said the court declared Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker, and 13 other suspects as 'absconders'. The trial of seven Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including the outfit's operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi,has so far been adjourned seven times in the past two months. The special Adiala Jail court has said the trial will take place in camera for security reasons. Though the court's order has not been made public, sources said it stated that the proceedings would be kept totally secret and 'not published' in any manner, as the case had implications for 'national security' and 'national interests'. While Lakhvi is accused of masterminding the attack, the four others, including LeT's communications expert Zarar Shah, Abu al-Qama, Hamad Amin Sadiq and Shahid Jamil Riaz are being charged as facilitators, managers of funds and for locating hideouts for the attackers in Rawalpindi.