Gul Hassan, an Islamic militant, is escorted by police officers
KARACHI, Pakistan-An Islamic militant was convicted and sentenced to death Saturday for planning two suicide attacks that killed 45 minority Shiite Muslims last year at mosques in this southern city, a government lawyer said.
Gul Hassan, a member of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi group, was captured shortly after the bombings in Karachi. On Saturday, judge Haq Nawaz found him guilty of orchestrating the attacks, according to government prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum. Hassan”s defense lawyer, Mushtaq Ahmed, said he will appeal.
"There was no solid evidence against my client," he told reporters. "We will prove it."
As many as 127 people were also injured when the suicide attackers detonated bombs at the Shiite mosques on May 7 and May 31, 2004.
Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence, mostly blamed on rival majority Sunni and minority Shiite extremist groups. About 80 percent of Pakistan”s 150 million people are Sunnis and 17 percent are Shiites.
The schism between Sunnis and Shiites dates back to the 7th century and involves a dispute over who was the true heir to the prophet Muhammad.