11:29pm UK, Wednesday December 10, 2008

The lone surviving gunman of the Mumbai terror attacks will be charged on 12 counts – including waging war against the state.

Mohammed Ajmal Kasab is the only surviving Mumbai gunman

Police in India are charging Mohammed Ajmal Kasab so they can keep him in custody while they collect more evidence before his trial begins.

They have 90 days to file a formal chargesheet.

India’s chief investigator into the attacks, Rakesh Maria, said: “We are booking him on 12 offences, including murder, criminal conspiracy and waging war against the state.”

Last month, 171 people were killed when terrorists attacked several locations in India’s financial capital, including two hotels and the main railway station.

India has blamed Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) for the atrocity.

On Tuesday police released the names and images of nine men believed to be the other gunmen in the attacks.

Earlier Pakistan confirmed two senior members of the LET had been arrested in Pakistan – but they will not be handed over to India.

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarrar Shah were being questioned in the Punjab province.

Lakhvi was named by surviving gunman Kasab as the mastermind behind the Mumbai plot.

Officials said Lakhvi was arrested on Sunday in a raid on a militant camp close to the Indian border.

The raid and arrests were the first known Pakistani operations in response to the Mumbai attacks.