ATC court set-up in Rawalpindi jail for in-camera trial of Mumbai attack suspects

Islamabad, Feb. 19 (ANI): The Pakistan Government has decided to set up an Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) and a sub-office of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to conduct an in-camera trial for suspects of the Mumbai terror attacks.

The law ministry had formally approved the setting up of the ATC in Adiala, the Daily Times reported.

Sources claimed that the Interior Ministry had written a letter to the Punjab Government, asking it to facilitate the process.

Earlier, Pakistan's Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Ghazi had said the Pakistan Government had decided to conduct an in-camera trial because of security concerns.

"In order to make it safe and secure and free from all these activities, I think the government has decided to hold the proceedings in-camera. I think that is also good for national security," Ghazi, who is Special Public Prosecutor for the trial of Pakistani suspects in the Mumbai attacks, said.

On Wednesday, Pakistan had formally requested India to hand over Ajmal Amir Kasab, the "prime suspect" in the Mumbai terror attacks, to facilitate the successful prosecution of the other accused who had been arrested in Pakistan.

India has, so far, ruled out the possibility of handing over Kasab to Pakistan. (ANI)