Pak govt sponsored the 26/11 attack

Mangalore Today

Mumbai, Mar 9: Terming the 26/11 terror attack as Pakistan government sponsored one, the prosecution on Tuesday opened its final arguments in the case saying the neighbouring country’s Army was also involved in the dastardly attack.

"The conspiracy of the 26/11 attack was hatched on Pakistan soil and inevitable inference can be drawn that the attack was State-sponsored," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam argued.

According to the prosecution, Kasab and the nine other slain terrorists had undergone military and intelligence training at the hands of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which was supervised by certain officers of the Pakistan Army.

"Kasab in his confession has said one Major General was present during their training and had supervised them. The name of the major general was deliberately not revealed to the attackers as he occupies a senior position in the army," Nikam said.

Alleging that the LeT and the Army were hand-in glove, the prosecution said a deliberate attempt was also made to conceal Pakistan’s involvement in the attack.

"The attackers were given fake identity cards under fictitious Indian names. One of the terrorist Imran Babbar had contacted a TV news channel and had claimed that he was from Hyderabad in India," Nikam argued.

The main conspirators had directed the terrorists not to reveal their true identity and nationality to see to it that Pakistan’s name does not emerge in the attack.

"Till date Pakistan has refused to take responsibility for the attacks and has not yet claimed the bodies of the nine slain terrorists," the prosecutor said.

Nikam further argued that the VOIP accounts opened prior to the attacks was paid by a Pakistani national by name Mohammad Iqbal.

On the two arrested Indian nationals - Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, Nikam argued although their role was to only prepare and supply maps of the terror sites to LeT, the duo was aware of the conspiracy.

Maharashtra State Home Minister R R Patil and Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe attended the proceedings in the case in a special court here.

Kasab, Ansari and Sabauddin are facing a trial for their alleged involvement in the 26/11 terror attack case, which killed 166 persons and injured several others.

Meanwhile, Sabauddin’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi filed an application seeking to stay the trial stating that not more than three cases can be clubbed together.

Special Judge M L Tahiliyani, however, rejected the application stating that it was frivolous.

 

Courtesy: Deccan Herald