26/11 trial: Kasab changes mind on pleading guilty

Mumbai, Aug 7 (PTI) Hours after informing a court that
he wanted to plead guilty to all the charges framed against
him in connection with the 26/11 attacks, prime accused Ajmal
Kasab changed his mind and said and did not want to say
anything.

When asked by Special Judge M L Tahailiyani why he
said he wanted to plead guilty in the morning session of the
court, Kasab replied, "Yun hi (Just like that)."

The court then asked if he was being influenced by
someone to admit his guilt, but the Pakistani gunman said he
was not.

When the judge asked him whether he wanted the trial
to go on, 22-year-old Kasab replied: "Ji haan, aapki marzi se
(Yes sir, with your permission)."

As judge Tahaliyani expressed surprise over Kasab's
behaviour, defence counsel Abbas Kazmi said it was due to the
auspicious day of 'Shab-e-baraat (night of blessings)' which
Muslims observed Thursday night. On this day people believe
that if you confess, you are forgiven by god, Kazmi told the
court.

Later, Kazmi told reporters that Kasab was frustrated
and was under the impression that a verdict will be given if
he pleads guilty to all charges.

"I have explained to him that despite his pleading
guilty to all charges the trial will go on because there are
two other accused in the dock," Kazmi said.

On Friday morning when a witness was being examined,
Kasab stood up in the dock and told Tahaliyani that he wanted
to plead guilty.

However, the court felt that Kasab was being very
vague about his admission of guilt and was asked to talk with
his lawyer before doing so.

Outside the court, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal
Nikam said Kasab was a great actor and had not only obtained
military training from conspirators in Pakistan, but had also
received training on how to mislead others.

"The moment we informed the court that FBI officials
will be examined as witnesses, Kasab got up to say he wanted
to plead guilty to all charges," he said.

This was done by Kasab to save his masters in Pakistan
and it showed that the gunman did not want the prosecution to
table evidence which FBI has collected in this case, Nikam
claimed.

"Kasab's act will not affect the case and we shall
conclude the trial within a month," he said.

Kasab had admitted his guilt before the court last
month, but the court had decided to take the admission of
guilt on record and continue with the trial.

The Pakistani gunman was reprimanded by the court
yesterday after he refused to accept food served by jail
authorities and threw utensils given to him allegedly
demanding he be served 'mutton biryani'. PTI SVS
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