3 Charged in U.S. Consulate Blast

Amid heavy security, including police toting machine guns, three Islamic militants were arraigned Saturday on charges of carrying out the June car bombing outside the U.S. Consulate here that killed 12 people.

The three, plus a member of the Pakistan Rangers paramilitary police, also were arraigned on charges of plotting to kill President Pervez Musharraf during a visit to this sprawling city of 12 million people.

The trials of both cases are to begin Saturday.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has been the site of three high-profile incidents of violence this year: the consulate bombing, a May suicide bombing outside the Sheraton Hotel that killed 11 French engineers and three others; and the January kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was later slain.

The suspects were brought to the closed-door arraignment at the Anti-Terrorism Court in an armored personnel carrier. Officers with machine guns were deployed around the building.

The three charged in both cases are Mohammed Imran, Mohammed Hanif and Mohammed Ashraf. Imran is identified as the leader of the Harkat-ul-Moujahedeen al-Almi extremist group and the other two are thought to be officers in the group.

Harkat-ul-Moujahedeen al-Almi, a splinter group of Harkat-ul-Moujahedeen, or Movement of Holy Warriors, reportedly has ties to Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda terrorist network.

If convicted on the charges of planning and executing the bombing, the three could face the death penalty. Six other suspects have been identified but remain at large.

Imran, Hanif, Ashraf and Rangers’ inspector Waseem Akhtar were arraigned on charges of conspiracy, terrorism, attempt to murder, and usage of a lethal explosive in the plot to kill Musharraf. The charge of terrorism carries the death penalty.

The six men being sought in connection with the bombing also are suspects in the alleged plot against Musharraf. The plotters allegedly parked an explosives-rigged pickup truck along the route of Musharraf’s motorcade during an April visit; the same truck is believed to have been used in the consulate bombing.

Musharraf has incurred the wrath of Islamic militants because of his cooperation with the U.S.-led war on terrorism.