Tests to find Mumbai suspect age

Ajmal Amir Qasab is alleged to have opened fire on commuters

An Indian court has ordered medical tests to determine the age of the leading suspect in last November's deadly attacks in Mumbai (Bombay).

Judge ML Tahiliyani's order said a doctor would carry out bone and dental tests on the lone surviving suspected gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab.

Lawyers for Mr Qasab, who is in a high-security jail in the city, say he is under 18 and want him tried as a minor.

More than 170 people, including nine gunmen, were killed in the attacks.

Mr Qasab, who Indian police say is 21, is charged with murder and waging war on India. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

'Settle the matter'

The test report is exected to be presented before the court next Tuesday, the BBC's Prachi Pinglay in Mumbai says.

Chief public prosecutor in the trial, Ujjwal Nikam, had filed an application earlier this week requesting the court to settle the matter of Mr Qasab's age before the trial began.

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"Since the defence lawyer has raised a doubt about his age and even if the matter is resolved for the time being, it would be better if the issue is solved once and for all," he told the court.

Mr Qasab's lawyer, Abbas Kazmi, claimed last week that his client should be tried in a juvenile court. The application was rejected.

Mr Kazmi also retracted a confession his client made in front of a magistrate in February, saying it was extracted through coercion and force.

It will be up to the judge to weigh the evidence at the trial and decide whether the confession should be taken into account.

The prosecution had read out parts of his confession as the trial began and accused him of killing 166 people.

Two Indians, Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, are also on trial, accused of being members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and of scouting for the attacks.

India has accused Pakistan-based fighters from Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks. Pakistan has admitted they were partly planned on its soil.

Qasab was arrested on the first day of the attacks and has been in custody ever since.

A huge security operation has been launched for the trial involving hundreds of armed police and soldiers.