Maulana Abdullah Aziz surrounded by his armed guard. AP photo.

A Pakistani court has recently dismissed terror charges against Maulana Abdullah Aziz, one of the two leaders of the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, who led an uprising in Islamabad in 2007 that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people. Dawn reports:

A local court here on Wednesday dropped terrorism charges against former chief cleric of the Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz, and co-accused in three cases and referred them to the district and sessions judge Islamabad.

Anti-Terrorist Court No. I Judge Malik Mohammad Akram Awan deleted the terrorism charges against Maulana Aziz and others in the cases of alleged kidnapping of Chinese masseurs and a Pakistani woman, Aunty Shamim, and in the case of intimidating the business community of Aabpara. He asked Islamabad’s district and sessions judge to try these cases in a normal court of law.

Aziz was released from prison in April, and two days later called for jihad and the nationwide implementation of sharia, or Islamic law, during his first sermon at the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque after his imprisonment. More than two years after leading the uprising in Islamabad, Aziz has yet to face charges.