Mumbai trial 'to start next week'

The trial of five men accused of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people in India is likely to start next week, Pakistan's interior minister said.

Rehman Malik said it was proof of Islamabad's commitment to punishing those responsible for the massacre.

Mr Malik said the investigation into the role that the five played in the three-day siege of the Indian city formerly known as Bombay last November was "almost complete".

He said the five men were in custody and "their trial is going to commence probably next week".

Mr Malik rejected allegations by India that Pakistan had dragged its feet in the investigation.

"We have gone (the) extra mile. We have done extra investigation, and we have proved to the international community that we are sincere in investigating this matter," he said.

"Accusations of being slow, being non-serious must end today after this final investigation and the trial which is likely to commence in the next few days."

There was no immediate reaction from Indian officials to the announcement.

New Delhi blames the assault on militants trained in Pakistan and has pushed Islamabad to move swiftly to hunt down those responsible for orchestrating the attack.

The US and other Western countries are also closely watching Pakistan's efforts to punish the militant suspects accused of planning and aiding the November 26-28 attacks in the Indian financial centre that also wounded scores.

India has also demanded that Islamabad hand over the suspects, but Pakistan said it would try any suspects in its own courts.

One of the five suspects, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, has been charged with masterminding the attacks, while the four others acted as facilitators and managed funds and hideouts used by the attackers, Mr Malik said.

"We're pretty sure, based on the evidence which we've collected, that these culprits shall be punished," Mr Malik said, adding that the trial would take place in a maximum security prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

But the minister also stressed that the case could still expand. He called on Indian officials to provide additional information, including certification of forensic evidence, DNA tests and a statement from the lone surviving suspected gunman, Ajmal Kasab, who is on trial in India.

Pakistan is also still hunting down a dozen other suspects in the case, who could be made additional defendants if captured.

Indian security forces killed nine of the Mumbai attackers and arrested Kasab, who New Delhi said belonged to the Pakistani militant outfit Laskhar-e-Taiba. He told investigators the militants were trained on Pakistani soil and the attack was planned there.

India is pressing ahead with its trial of Kasab, who has denied all charges against him, which include waging war against the country and murder. Kasab, who is said to be in his early 20s, will face the death penalty if convicted.

Pakistan and India are historic rivals. The south Asian neighbours have fought three wars since independence six decades ago.

The nuclear-armed countries moved troops towards their joint border in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, chilling ties which had warmed in recent years.

The prime ministers of both nations are due to meet later this month on the sidelines of an international summit in Egypt for the first time since the attacks.