Man charged in Musharraf assassination plot

Officials believe the van used in the U.S. Consulate bombing may have been the same as the one in the plot to kill Musharraf

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Pakistani police have charged a military man with attempting to assassinate the country's leader President Pervez Musharraf -- a plot that until this week has been kept secret.

Waseem Akhtara -- a member of the Pakistan Rangers, the nation's civil armed forces -- will appear in court on Wednesday to face charges of attempted murder in connection with an April 26 attempt to kill Musharraf.

Three Islamic militants arrested Monday in the fatal bombings in Karachi of the U.S. Consulate and a bus carrying French engineers also have been implicated in the plan, Maj. Gen. Salahuddin said.

Akhtara had been assigned to provide security to the president while Musharraf was in Karachi campaigning for a referendum to extend his term as leader.

The Associated Press news agency reported that the police charge sheet said that Akhtara's role in the assassination plot was to notify his accomplices of the president's movements.

Failed to detonate

Salahuddin (R) next to arrested Islamic militants Mohammed Imran (C) and Mohammed Hanif

In the attempted attack against Musharraf, a Suzuki van was parked in front of a shopping center along his motorcade route from the airport to downtown Karachi, said presidential spokesman Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi.

Akhtara allegedly phoned his accomplices when Musharraf's entourage left the airport.

As Musharraf's vehicle passed the truck, they hit the remote control detonator. But the detonator failed to activate the explosives, the Associated Press reported.

The vehicle was retrieved and may have been used almost two months later on June 14 in the bombing outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, officials said.

That powerful explosion killed at least 12 Pakistanis and left dozens injured.

Two of Akhtara's alleged accomplices -- Mohammed Hanif and Mohammed Imran -- have been charged in connection with the consulate bombing and also with attempted murder in the assassination bid.

Hanif, Imran and a third man, Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed, are members of Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen al-Almi, the Director General of the Pakistani Rangers, Major General Salahuddin said on Monday during an announcement of the arrests. (Full story)

Bomb attack

The three are also being held in connection with a bomb attack outside the Karachi Sheraton in May which killed 14 people, including 11 French engineers. The bomber was among the dead.

Two other men -- the remaining leaders of the group believed to have staged the bombings -- are among 13 additional suspects being sought, said

Salahuddin said more than 50 people are believed to be part of the militant group to which the men belonged, which is operating five units in Karachi.

He said authorities were fairly certain that the group has no ties to al Qaeda, and no link has been found to those involved in the kidnap-murder earlier this year of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl.

Secret

Some of the weapons seized during raids linked to investigations of the bombings

The Musharraf assassination plot was kept secret until Monday when police announced the arrest of Imran, Hanif and Ahmed.

Religious extremists have criticized Musharraf for his support of the U.S.–led campaign in neighboring Afghanistan and also his permission to allow U.S. troops and personnel to operate on Pakistani soil.

Several radical groups, including Harakat-ul Mujahedeen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed are known to have links to the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Musharraf announced earlier this year a crackdown on religious extremism and outlawed five militant Islamic groups including Harakat-ul Mujahedeen and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Since that move, there have been a number of attacks targeting foreigners in Pakistan that have damaged attempts to market the country as investment-friendly.

-- CNN Correspondent Tom Mintier contributed to this report.