Pak investigators file 2nd chargesheet against 26/11 suspects

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Jul 18 (PTI) A second and supplementary
chargesheet against five LeT operatives accused of involvement
in the Mumbai attacks, including its operations chief Zakiur
Rehman Lakhvi, was Saturday filed before an anti-terror court
in the garrison city of Rawalpindi by Pakistani investigators.

The investigators from the Federal Investigation Agency
(FIA), which probed the Mumbai attacks, submitted the
chargesheet to the court, following which the judge adjourned
till July 25 the trial, which is being held in-camera in the
high-security Adiala Jail.

The five accused -- Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu al Qama,
Shahid Jamil Riaz and Hamad Amin Sadiq -- were given copies of
the second and supplementary chargesheet.

Earlier on May 5, the court had distributed copies of the
first chargesheet among the suspects.
Sources said the five Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives
are expected to be formally indicted at the next hearing.
The trial resumed Saturday following the appointment of
Justice Baqir Ali Rana as the new judge for anti-terror court
number 2 in Rawalpindi. Special Public Prosecutor Malik Rab
Nawaz Noon represented the federal government.

There had been no movement in the case since May 23 as
Justice Sakhi Muhammad Kahut, who was earlier hearing the
matter, was removed as part of judicial reforms.

Shahbaz Rajput, the counsel for the accused, told PTI
that Saturday's proceedings were a "pre-trial hearing."

A new dossier on the Mumbai attacks handed over by
Pakistan to India last week states that the LeT was
responsible for the assault. It also says that Lakhvi was the
mastermind of the attacks.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said last week that the
trial of the five LeT operatives could now get underway as
Pakistani investigators had completed their probe.

After Justice Kahut was removed from the case as part of
judicial reforms, The Federal Investigation Agency approached
Justice Muhammad Akram Awan, the judge of anti-terror court
number 1, to take up the case and he repeatedly adjourned the
matter.

The trial of the five LeT operatives is being held in
Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi due to security reasons. PTI RHL
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