Pakistan charged seven men on Wednesday in connection with the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, in a case that is being closely watched internationally.

Prosecutor Malik Rab Nawaz said the men are charged with planning and carrying out the attack. He said all seven accused pleaded not guilty.

The court proceedings are being held behind closed doors in a maximum-security prison outside of the capital, Islamabad.

The men, who are alleged to belong to a militant group named Lashkar-e-Taiba, could face the death penalty if they are convicted.

The Nov. 26-28 attacks in Mumbai hit hotels, a Jewish centre and a train station in the financial centre. The attacks left about 170 people dead, including two Canadians.

The trial is being watched carefully by India and the United States to see if Pakistan follows through on a promise to bring those responsible to justice.

The only surviving gunman of the attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, pleaded guilty in an Indian court in July.