Pakistan court grants 26/11 mastermind Lakhvi bail (Third Lead)

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday ordered the conditional release of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi - the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack - asking him to submit a security bond of Pakistani Rs.1 million (around $9,000), media reported.

The court issued a two-page order on Lakhvi's plea for release on bail.

Earlier Monday, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi presided over the hearing of a petition filed by Lakhvi, seeking an end to his detention, Dawn online reported.

On Dec 18, Lakhvi was granted post-arrest bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad. However, the federal government extended his detention in the Adiala Jail under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

On Dec 26, Lakhvi challenged his detention in the Islamabad High Court.

During Monday's hearing, Lakhvi's counsel Rizwan Abbasi said the court previously accepted his client's bail plea, but the administration detained him, which was unlawful. He said grant of bail was an issue of fundamental rights.

After hearing counsel's arguments, the court suspended Lakhvi's detention.

Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping to carry out the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.

At the time of the terror strikes, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attack in India's financial capital.

Lakhvi, along with Zarar Shah, was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people and left over 300 injured