LAHORE: A prison official says a militant accused in dozens of killings and the 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team has been freed on bail after 14 years in custody.

Malik Ishaq, a leader of the banned extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was arrested in 1997.

He has been accused of a variety of crimes, including orchestrating the attack on the cricketers, which left six security officers and a driver dead.

Over the years, the cases against Ishaq have faltered as many witnesses have been too scared to testify.

Jail official Malik Mubashar said the Supreme Court granted Ishaq bail on Monday and he was freed Thursday after he posted it.

TV footage showed hundreds of Ishaq's supporters greeting him as he left the jail in Kot Lakhpat.