Pak reframes charges against 26/11 accused, Lakhvi named mastermind - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

In a blatant move to protect Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed from being prosecuted in the 26/11 trials, the Pakistan government on Wednesday reframed charges on all seven accused, naming Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) operations chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi as the mastermind of the terror attacks. It took the Pakistan government 364 days after the ghastly terror attack that rocked Mumbai on 26th November 2008, but the charges clearly appeared to be safeguarding Saeed, who India believes is the mastermind of the attack. The special anti-terror court set-up in Rawalpindi's Adial jail while rejecting the 'no guilty' plea of the seven accused, summoned all of them to appear before it on December 5. Details about the proceedings were not available as a media gag has been put in place, but sources privy to the issue said that the government has deliberately tabled evidence in the court with numerous flaws. Seven LeT operatives including Lakhvi, communications expert Zarar Shah, Abu al-Qama, Hamad Amin Sadiq and Shahid Jamil Riaz being tried by the anti-terrorism court. They have been accused of providing training, financial support, accommodation, equipment and communications gear to the 10 terrorists who attacked Mumbai last year. No details are available of the charges against the two other suspects, Jamil Ahmed and Younas Anjum.