Pakistan court adjourns Mumbai attack case hearing till July 15

LAHORE: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court holding the trial of the seven accused in the Mumbai attack case, including its mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, today adjourned the hearings till July 15 as the judge was on leave.

"No proceeding of the case was held today because the judge of trial court (Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad) was on 'Umra leave'. The judge has gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Umra," a court official told after the hearing.

The court office adjourned the hearing till next Wednesday.

During the last hearing the court had summoned four witnesses for recording of their statements.

In the last week's two hearings, the trial court had exempted Lakhvi from appearing in the court due to "threats to his life'.

Lakhvi's lawyers had also cross-examined two witnesses, including the owner of a local company that had sold eight Japanese Yamaha engines to one of the 2008 Mumbai attack facilitators (who supplied them to terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab for reaching Mumbai in a dingy).

Fifty-five-year-old Lakhvi has been released on bail since April 10.

Six other accused -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- have been in Adiala Jail for nearly six years in connection with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.