The twists and turns in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial continued for the second day today with defence becoming more articulate and prosecution opting to stay more circumspect about prime accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab’s sudden decision to go on record admitting his complicity in the planning and execution of the attack.

Defence lawyer Mr Abbas Kazmi contended that the “I plead guilty” statement by his client could not legally be construed as confession, but it was up to the judge to ascertain the veracity of what Kasab had stated to the court on Monday and briefly on Tuesday and give his ruling. “Kasab was only answering the queries put to him by the court,” he said. A special court hearing the case today adjourned the proceedings in the 26/11 trial till tomorrow after the prosecution sought time to file its reply on the confession of the lone surviving terrorist. Special public prosecutor Mr Ujjwal Nikam accused Kasab of “speaking like a politician for publicity.” He urged the court to examine what the captured Pakistan national had said in his confession. Mr Nikam said the defence had no case to argue after Kasab had pleaded guilty and would like to see an early end to the case. “But for the delaying tactics of the defence, the matter would have been over by now in two and a half months,” he said.

Mr Nikam also called Kasab a “good actor. Well briefed, informed and managed.” He pointed out that the name of Indian helper Abu Jindal mentioned in the court by Kasab on Monday did not appear anywhere in his earlier statements to the judge or Mumbai police. He wondered what the ploy was behind naming a new co-conspirator. Kasab had said that Abu taught Hindi to him and other nine terrorists on 26/11 mission Mumbai.
Mr Kazmi demanded the investigator/police probe the involvement of the Indian mentioned. (Mumbai police confirmed that Abu Jindal has been on their wanted list for over a decade. He has suspected Indian Mujahideen links and is believed to be a resident of Hyderabad). Earlier, Kasab informed the court that a guard at the Arthur Road Prison had told him that Pakistan accepted him as its national. He said Pakistani handlers had told him and Abu Ismail to shoot and kill innocents — and even the police if they interrupted — by firing indiscriminately. “They told us to also take some people hostages and climb the CST station before making some demands for their release.” He said his masters Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Abu Hamzha, Zarar Shah and others had told them to devastate Mumbai (tabah kar do). In the course of today’s confession, according to Mr Nikam, Kasab used inflammatory language. At this point the prosecution requested the court to adjourn the trial for the day. The judge said the inflammatory references in Kasab’s statement should not be made public since they were not in the society’s interest.

The prosecutor said he had requested the court to grant him a day’s time to consult investigators and Mumbai police’s top officials to work out further strategy. He refused to divulge more.

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