FBI man testifies in Mumbai trial

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab faces 86 charges

An FBI officer has appeared before a court in the Indian city of Mumbai to testify on last November's attacks which killed more than 170 people.

The witness was an FBI electronics engineer and forensic expert.

He told the special prison court that he had examined a satellite phone and three global positioning systems recovered after the attacks.

It was the first time that a witness from outside India had testified in the Mumbai attack case.

The agent said that the data recovered showed a number of maps, including one sent from off the coast of Pakistan.

"This route starts in the ocean near the Gulf of Karachi and it goes to Mumbai. The route was stored by the user," the FBI agent said, under conditions of anonymity.

Other locations found on the GPS system included areas of the cities of Karachi, Rawalpindi and of Mumbai.

The expert examined the GPS units and the satellite phone at the request of the Mumbai police.

Other US nationals including another FBI official are also expected to give evidence, most using videoconferencing facilities.

Nine gunmen were among more the 170 people killed in the attacks.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, a Pakistani national, faces 86 charges, including waging war on India, murder and possessing explosives.

After initially pleading not guilty, Mr Qasab confessed that he was one of the gunmen. The trial continues despite his admission.

Six of the people killed in the attacks were Americans, reports say.

The identities of the FBI officers and the American nationals have been kept secret for security reasons, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

The BBC's Prachi Pinglay in Mumbai says Mr Qasab was smiling throughout the proceedings.

The attacks led to a worsening of relations between India and Pakistan.

India blamed Pakistan-based fighters from the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In the immediate aftermath of the killings, Pakistan denied any responsibility, but later admitted the attacks had been partly planned on its soil.

Islamabad also eventually confirmed that Mr Qasab was a Pakistani citizen.