166 people were killed in the 2008terrorattacs
166 people were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, with targets including the Taj Mahal hotel Getty

The suspected mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has been released on bail from jail in Pakistan, officials said.

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was released on Friday morning, said jail officials in Rawalpindi, reports the BBC.

The three day terror attack by gunmen in India's financial capital in 2008 left 166 dead.

The attack was blamed on Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Lakhvi was granted bail in December, but was kept in detention under public order legislation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described the bail decision as "a shock to all those who believe in humanity".

The release is likely to worsen relations between India and Pakistan, with Delhi accusing Pakistan of failing to pursue all of those responsible for the attack, and Lahore accusing India of failing to provide all of the necessary evidence for prosecutions.

Six others have been charged in connection with the mass killing, but their cases have been bogged down for more than five years.

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