Three militants arraigned in bombing of U.S. Consulate

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Under heavy security that included police with machine guns, three Islamic militants were arraigned Saturday on charges in last month's car-bombing of the U.S. Consulate that killed 12 people.

The three and 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 plagued by criminal and sectarian violence.

The trial on both charges begins Aug. 10.

This year, Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, has seen three high-profile incidents of violence -- the June 14 consular bombing, the May 8 suicide bombing outside the Sheraton Hotel that killed 11 French engineers and the kidnapping and murder Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

The suspects were brought to the closed-door arraignment at the Anti-Terrorism Court in an armored personnel carrier that was part of a police convoy. Officers with machine guns were deployed around the court building.

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

Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen al-Almi, a splinter group of Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen, or Movement of Holy Warriors, worked closely with al-Qaida in Afghanistan before the collapse of the Taliban government.

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 are still at large.

In the plot to kill Musharraf, Imran, Hanif, Ashraf and Rangers' inspector Waseem Akhtar were arraigned for conspiracy, terrorism, attempt to murder and usage of lethal explosive. 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 extremists for his moves to crack down on terrorism.