Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the Arthur Road Central jail where a special court would on Monday decide the fate of Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab and two Indians for their alleged role in the 26/11 terror attacks.
“The prosecution has prepared a watertight case against all the three accused and we hope the verdict would be in our favour,” special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI.
Kasab is facing the charge of killing 166 persons by indiscriminately firing and hurling hand grenades at various places on November 26, 2008.
Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, both Indians, are charged with drawing maps of targets and passing them on to Lashkar-e-Taiba to execute the diabolic terror attacks.
Among the places targeted by the terrorists were Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus, Nariman House, Cama Hospital, Hotel Taj Mahal, Hotel Oberoi-Trident and Metro junction. At some of these places, terrorists held siege for close to 60 hours before being killed by security forces in a pitched battle.
While Kasab was caught alive at Girgaum Chowpatty when he was trying to escape in a car, nine other gunmen were shot dead by police and security forces.
The three accused have been tried under the provisions of various acts including IPC, Bombay Police Act, Passport Act, Customs Act, Foreigners Act, Damage to Public Property Act, Railways Act, and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Defence lawyer K.P. Pawar said, “We have done our best to convince the court that Kasab is innocent and falsely implicated in the 26/11 terror attack case. Now it is for the court to decide.”
The Arthur Road jail has become a fortress with large number of police personnel posted at various vantage points on Sane Guruji Marg which has been made one way for the traffic movements.
Inside the jail, 200 Indo-Tibetan Border Security guards are providing security cover to Ajmal Kasab who held the city under siege with his associates at the behest of LeT for more than two days from November 26, 2008.
Kasab is lodged in a bullet and bomb proof cell which is covered by iron sheets from all sides. The court is also built with equally strong iron reinforcements to make it bullet and bomb proof.
The other two accused are lodged in separate cells elsewhere in the jail.
Special passes have been issued to media personnel, lawyers, court staff and family members of the accused for their entry into the court. There are at least three entry points where everyone is frisked thoroughly. Pens and cell phones have been prohibited inside the court.
The prosecution had filed a 11,000 page chargesheet against Kasab and two other accused and examined 658 witnesses during the one year-long trial described in legal circles as the fastest ever among the terror cases in India.
Showing posts with label 26/11 attacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 26/11 attacks. Show all posts
Monday, May 3, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
“My son got bullet for a glass of water”, recalls 26/11 victim
Fifty-year-old Jamuna Waghela, who escaped death by a whisker on the fateful night of 26/11, recalls with horror how her young son was shot dead after serving a glass of water to gun-wielding Ajmal Kasab and wants the Pakistani terrorist hanged without delay.
“Why has Kasab been kept alive? He should not be shown any mercy and hanged without delay,” says an angry Jamuna as she waits for justice to be done to her family five days from now when the anti-terror court is to pronounce its verdict in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case.
“What has he (Kasab) gained from killing my son? Why they (terrorists) do all this? He killed my son for giving a glass of water?” asks a livid Jamuna fighting back tears.
According to police, Jamuna’s son Thakur Wagela (32), a sweeper at government-run GT Hospital in south Mumbai, was shot dead by Kasab at his hut located in a lane near Cama Hospital.
On November 26, 2008, Kasab and his accomplice Abu Ismail, along with eight others, came from Pakistan by sea and struck terror at various places including Taj Mahal Hotel, Nariman House, Oberoi hotel and CST terminus, killing 166 people and injuring many more.
Kasab fatally injured Thakur before walking into Cama Hospital where he exchanged fire with security personnel.
Later, outside the hospital he shot dead the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, DIG Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar.
“At 10 pm, I was standing outside my house while my son and grandson were having dinner. Two persons (Kasab and Ismail) came dashing down the lane outside and one of them, later identified as Ajmal Kasab, stopped near my house when I asked him what he wanted,” recounted Jamuna.
“His associate immediately opened fire at me but luckily the bullets did not hit me. I hid behind a hut as Kasab walked up to my son and asked for water,” said Jamuna, whose husband Budhai (60) too is a sweeper at GT hospital.
“I could see my son offer Kasab a glass of water with trembling hands. The terrorist gulped it down and coolly shot at my son who slumped to the ground as I watched helplessly in horror,” she said clutching Thakur’s photo.
She, however, thanks God for the little mercy shown to her. “Kasab did not see my grandson or he would have got killed too.”
“The whole night I was not informed about my son’s death and told he was undergoing treatment. The next day, when I went to the hospital, I found him dead,” recalls Jamuna.
“My son’s innocent face still haunts me. I get up every night thinking somebody has broken into my house. I feel scared to even sit outside my house late in the evening,” she says.
Thakur has left behind his wife and three children.
Though his wife has been given a sweeper’s job at GT Hospital and a flat in Sion in central Mumbai by the state government their welfare is a source of constant worry, Jamuna added.
“Why has Kasab been kept alive? He should not be shown any mercy and hanged without delay,” says an angry Jamuna as she waits for justice to be done to her family five days from now when the anti-terror court is to pronounce its verdict in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case.
“What has he (Kasab) gained from killing my son? Why they (terrorists) do all this? He killed my son for giving a glass of water?” asks a livid Jamuna fighting back tears.
According to police, Jamuna’s son Thakur Wagela (32), a sweeper at government-run GT Hospital in south Mumbai, was shot dead by Kasab at his hut located in a lane near Cama Hospital.
On November 26, 2008, Kasab and his accomplice Abu Ismail, along with eight others, came from Pakistan by sea and struck terror at various places including Taj Mahal Hotel, Nariman House, Oberoi hotel and CST terminus, killing 166 people and injuring many more.
Kasab fatally injured Thakur before walking into Cama Hospital where he exchanged fire with security personnel.
Later, outside the hospital he shot dead the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, DIG Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar.
“At 10 pm, I was standing outside my house while my son and grandson were having dinner. Two persons (Kasab and Ismail) came dashing down the lane outside and one of them, later identified as Ajmal Kasab, stopped near my house when I asked him what he wanted,” recounted Jamuna.
“His associate immediately opened fire at me but luckily the bullets did not hit me. I hid behind a hut as Kasab walked up to my son and asked for water,” said Jamuna, whose husband Budhai (60) too is a sweeper at GT hospital.
“I could see my son offer Kasab a glass of water with trembling hands. The terrorist gulped it down and coolly shot at my son who slumped to the ground as I watched helplessly in horror,” she said clutching Thakur’s photo.
She, however, thanks God for the little mercy shown to her. “Kasab did not see my grandson or he would have got killed too.”
“The whole night I was not informed about my son’s death and told he was undergoing treatment. The next day, when I went to the hospital, I found him dead,” recalls Jamuna.
“My son’s innocent face still haunts me. I get up every night thinking somebody has broken into my house. I feel scared to even sit outside my house late in the evening,” she says.
Thakur has left behind his wife and three children.
Though his wife has been given a sweeper’s job at GT Hospital and a flat in Sion in central Mumbai by the state government their welfare is a source of constant worry, Jamuna added.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Headley to plead guilty before U.S. court on March 18
Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, a LeT operative charged with conspiring in the Mumbai terror strike, will plead guilty before a US court on Thursday, five months after he was arrested by the FBI.
A court notice said a “change of plea” hearing has been set on Thursday scheduling David Coleman Headley before US District Judge Harry Leinenweber. A routine status hearing was scheduled for Headley on March 23.
“Yes, he (Headley) will plead guilty,” John Theis, Headley’s lawyer, told PTI when asked if his client is changing his not-guilty plea.
“I expect that is what is going to happen on March 18,” Theis said.
He, however, declined to comment on whether Headley would be pleading guilty to all or some of the charges in the 12-count superseding indictment filed against him on January 14.
The 49-year-old Headley is charged with conspiring in the Mumbai terror strike and planning attack on a Danish newspaper which published a cartoon on Prophet Mohammad.
The son of a Pakistani diplomat and a Philadelphia socialite, Headley had so far pleaded not guilty to the charges and has remained in federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre here since he was arrested in October 2009.
Theis refused to give any details when asked whether a plea deal has been worked out for Headley, who has been “cooperating in the ongoing investigation“.
If convicted, Headley faces maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death.
Theis said: “We have had discussions with the government regarding the plea bargain. We are working on it and we expect there will be a plea agreement.”
However, Headley’s cooperation in the investigation is seen as a way to escape death penalty.
Spokesman for Chicago US Attorney Patrick J Fitzgerald, Randall Samborn said Headley would be present in court for the March 18 hearing.
Samborn too declined to comment on what charges Headley would be pleading guilty to.
In the 12 count indictment, Headley, a 49 year old Chicago resident, faces six counts of conspiracy involving bombing public places in India, murdering and maiming persons in India and Denmark, providing material support to foreign terrorist plots, providing material support to Lashkar and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of US citizens in India.
The FBI had also charged Headley’s friend from a Pakistani military school, city-businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana with providing material support to the Mumbai attacks as well as to the terrorist organisation LeT.
Pakistani-Canadian Rana has pleaded not guilty to the charges and said that he was duped by Headley.
Rana has been denied bail by the court and is held at the Correctional centre since his October arrest. A hearing for his case has been set for March 29.
Headley was first arrested in 1998 for conspiring to smuggle heroin into the US from Pakistan. However, after his arrest he cooperated with the investigation, giving information about his involvement in drug trafficking and his Pakistani suppliers.
Due to his cooperation, he was sentenced to less than two years in prison and shortly thereafter went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In 2002 and 2003, Headley allegedly attended terrorism training camps in Pakistan maintained by Lashkar and conspired with its members and others, including co-accused Rana, Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman in planning and executing the attacks on India and a Danish newspaper.
He conducted extensive surveillance of targets in Mumbai between September 2006 and July 2008, taking photographs and making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in the November 2008 attacks that killed approximately 164 people and left hundreds more injured.
After every trip to India, Headley allegedly travelled to Pakistan to share videos and photographs of the targets in India with Lashkar members.
A court notice said a “change of plea” hearing has been set on Thursday scheduling David Coleman Headley before US District Judge Harry Leinenweber. A routine status hearing was scheduled for Headley on March 23.
“Yes, he (Headley) will plead guilty,” John Theis, Headley’s lawyer, told PTI when asked if his client is changing his not-guilty plea.
“I expect that is what is going to happen on March 18,” Theis said.
He, however, declined to comment on whether Headley would be pleading guilty to all or some of the charges in the 12-count superseding indictment filed against him on January 14.
The 49-year-old Headley is charged with conspiring in the Mumbai terror strike and planning attack on a Danish newspaper which published a cartoon on Prophet Mohammad.
The son of a Pakistani diplomat and a Philadelphia socialite, Headley had so far pleaded not guilty to the charges and has remained in federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre here since he was arrested in October 2009.
Theis refused to give any details when asked whether a plea deal has been worked out for Headley, who has been “cooperating in the ongoing investigation“.
If convicted, Headley faces maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death.
Theis said: “We have had discussions with the government regarding the plea bargain. We are working on it and we expect there will be a plea agreement.”
However, Headley’s cooperation in the investigation is seen as a way to escape death penalty.
Spokesman for Chicago US Attorney Patrick J Fitzgerald, Randall Samborn said Headley would be present in court for the March 18 hearing.
Samborn too declined to comment on what charges Headley would be pleading guilty to.
In the 12 count indictment, Headley, a 49 year old Chicago resident, faces six counts of conspiracy involving bombing public places in India, murdering and maiming persons in India and Denmark, providing material support to foreign terrorist plots, providing material support to Lashkar and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of US citizens in India.
The FBI had also charged Headley’s friend from a Pakistani military school, city-businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana with providing material support to the Mumbai attacks as well as to the terrorist organisation LeT.
Pakistani-Canadian Rana has pleaded not guilty to the charges and said that he was duped by Headley.
Rana has been denied bail by the court and is held at the Correctional centre since his October arrest. A hearing for his case has been set for March 29.
Headley was first arrested in 1998 for conspiring to smuggle heroin into the US from Pakistan. However, after his arrest he cooperated with the investigation, giving information about his involvement in drug trafficking and his Pakistani suppliers.
Due to his cooperation, he was sentenced to less than two years in prison and shortly thereafter went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In 2002 and 2003, Headley allegedly attended terrorism training camps in Pakistan maintained by Lashkar and conspired with its members and others, including co-accused Rana, Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman in planning and executing the attacks on India and a Danish newspaper.
He conducted extensive surveillance of targets in Mumbai between September 2006 and July 2008, taking photographs and making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in the November 2008 attacks that killed approximately 164 people and left hundreds more injured.
After every trip to India, Headley allegedly travelled to Pakistan to share videos and photographs of the targets in India with Lashkar members.
Monday, February 22, 2010
26/11 accused asks to examine NIA chief, Rahul Bhatt as witnesses
Sabauddin Ahmed, an accused in the 26/11 terror attack case today sought permission from the trial court to examine NIA Chief S. C. Sinha, Gujarat DGP S. S. Khandwawala, Rahul Bhatt - son of film maker Mahesh Bhatt, and Fitness Instructor Vilas Warak as defence witnesses.
Ahmed’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi told the court that he wants to examine these four witness to establish that terror suspect David Headley had conducted the recce of Mumbai before the 26/11 attack and not Sabahuddin as alleged by the prosecution.
“David Headley was staying at Malabar Hill in Mumbai and had conducted recce of the entire city and had passed on information to the 26/11 perpetrators. Then what is the need for Sabahuddin to prepare the sketches?” Mr. Naqvi asked.
He further argued that according to the investigation agencies, Headley had also conducted recce of the Osho ashram in Pune near which a blast took place on February 13.
Asked by special judge M. L. Tahiliyani as to what evidence Mr. Rahul Bhatt and Mr. Vilas Warak can give, Mr. Naqvi said the duo were close friends of Headley and had visited several places in the city with him.
However, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam opposed the application of Sabahuddin stating that the evidence of these witness was not relevant in the trial and also that Mr. Naqvi was going on hypothesis that the whole 26/11 attack took place because of Headley.
“According to the prosecution, Sabahuddin and Faheem Ansari had prepared the maps of the terror sites and supplied them to the perpetrators. However, the possibility of Headley also supplying pictures of the terror sites cannot be ruled out,” Mr. Nikam told the court.
The court will pass its order on the application tomorrow.
Besides Sabahuddin, Ansari and Ajmal Kasab are facing trial. While Kasab is charged with killing 166 persons in the attack, Sabahuddin and Ansari are facing charges of drawing maps of targets and passing them on militant outfit LeT for executing the terror strikes.
Ahmed’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi told the court that he wants to examine these four witness to establish that terror suspect David Headley had conducted the recce of Mumbai before the 26/11 attack and not Sabahuddin as alleged by the prosecution.
“David Headley was staying at Malabar Hill in Mumbai and had conducted recce of the entire city and had passed on information to the 26/11 perpetrators. Then what is the need for Sabahuddin to prepare the sketches?” Mr. Naqvi asked.
He further argued that according to the investigation agencies, Headley had also conducted recce of the Osho ashram in Pune near which a blast took place on February 13.
Asked by special judge M. L. Tahiliyani as to what evidence Mr. Rahul Bhatt and Mr. Vilas Warak can give, Mr. Naqvi said the duo were close friends of Headley and had visited several places in the city with him.
However, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam opposed the application of Sabahuddin stating that the evidence of these witness was not relevant in the trial and also that Mr. Naqvi was going on hypothesis that the whole 26/11 attack took place because of Headley.
“According to the prosecution, Sabahuddin and Faheem Ansari had prepared the maps of the terror sites and supplied them to the perpetrators. However, the possibility of Headley also supplying pictures of the terror sites cannot be ruled out,” Mr. Nikam told the court.
The court will pass its order on the application tomorrow.
Besides Sabahuddin, Ansari and Ajmal Kasab are facing trial. While Kasab is charged with killing 166 persons in the attack, Sabahuddin and Ansari are facing charges of drawing maps of targets and passing them on militant outfit LeT for executing the terror strikes.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Kasab wants Rane as witness, 26/11 court rejects plea
Seeking to delay the 26/11 trial, Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab on Wednesday sought to call Maharashtra minister Narayan Rane as a defence witness but the special court rejected the plea terming his request as “irrelevant” and concluded the recording of evidence.
Special court judge M L Tahaliyani adjourned the case to February 20 for arguments.
Kasab made the request through his lawyer K P Pawar, who pleaded that Revenue Minister Rane be examined as defence witness as he had made a public statement that some local elements had helped the 26/11 terrorists. Soon after the carnage, Mr. Rane said he knew some politicians who had provided monetary and logistical support to terrorists.
However, when Solapur-based Purushottam Barde filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court seeking an inquiry into his statement, M. Rane, in an affidavit said that he had simply referred to N.N. Vohra committee’s report on criminalisation of politics and not talked about individuals.
Pawar contended that since Kasab was charged with participating in the conspiracy, Mr. Rane’s evidence would throw light on people involved in planning and executing the attacks.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam opposed Kasab’s plea saying Rane’s deposition was not relevant to the case.
The judge felt that Mr. Rane’s deposition would not help Kasab in any way and would be a waste of time.
