KARACHI, Dec 11: An anti-terrorism court on Monday adjourned hearing of the US diplomat’s killing case against two alleged Al Qaeda activists after recording statement of a bomb disposal expert.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who is conducting trial inside the Central Prison Karachi, fixed December 7 for the next hearing after deposition of the expert, Mohammed Iqbal, who had prepared a report on the intensity and impact of the explosive used in the blast that left the diplomat dead.

Defence counsel Mushtaq Ahmed and Mohammed Farooq also cross-examined Mohammed Iqbal.

The prosecution, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, has so far examined 22 prosecution witnesses in the case.

The bomb disposal expert deposed that he had reached the spot within two or three minutes after the blast. He said the blast had caused a 17-feet-long, 13-feet-wide three-feet-deep crater.

Two Al Qaeda activists – Anwarul Haq and Usman Ghani – are being tried for masterminding the suicide carbombing that killed the US diplomat and three other persons on March 2. A suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the diplomat’s vehicle yards away from the US consulate.

The blast that took place in a narrow lane between the Marriott Hotel and the Naval Hospital also left over 50 others wounded.

US Consulate official David Foy, his Pakistani driver Iftikhar and Lance Naik Zafar of Rangers died instantly.

The suicide bomber, whose body had blown into pieces, was later identified as Mohammed Tahir.