Lone surviving Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab on Tuesday said he was not a "Jihadi" and had not undergone any training at the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) camp in Pakistan. Kasab told the court, which was recording the gunman's final statement on the prosecution evidence, he was a cook with a catering company in "Saarayee-Alamghir" near Jhelum in Pakistan.
Denying any involvement with terror outfits LeT and Jamat-ul-Dawa (JUD), Kasab declined meeting Hafiz Sayed, Zaki-ur-Lakhvi, Abu Kahfa and Abu Hamza--all wanted accused and alleged LeT operatives. "I heard the names of Lash-e-Taliban and JUD from the police here.
Crime Branch officials had shown the photograph of Lakhvi," Kasab said. Asked by the court if he was introduced to one Major General Saab at the training camp, Kasab said, "This is absolutely wrong." The judge, M L Tahaliyani, was putting questions to Kasab on the basis of his confession before magistrate in February; however Kasab disowned the confession, saying it was given under duress.
When special Judge M L Tahaliyani referred to his statement in the confession that Hafeez Sayed had told 30 boys at the LeT training camp that they would have to lay down their lives for liberating Kashmir, Kasab said: "This is absolutely wrong". Alleging that the police had threatened to administer electric shocks to him if he did not give a statement to the magistrate, Kasab said the police had prepared the confession and forced him to recite it.
Asked by the court, if he was told in the training that they would go to heaven if they attacked India, Kasab replied in the negative saying he did not attend the training. Kasab also denied having told the police anything about Kuber boat and a dead body found on the boat.
According to the prosecution, the group of ten terrorists had highjacked Kuber on their way to Mumbai from Karachi in Pakistan. "I have never seen the boat; crime branch and FBI had showed me pictures of Kuber and my clothes and articles seized from the boat. These articles must belong to either fishermen or smugglers. The AK 47 rifle may belong to the police and it is not mine." An I-card recovered from his trouser pocket was shown to Kasab in the court today, but he refused to identify himself. "It's not me. Trousers are not mine, I was wearing leather pants," he stated.
Similarly, about the money seized from him, he said that it was not his. "The police had taken Rs 2,400 from me on November 25, which I had kept for my return ticket. Those currency notes did not have any marks on them. These notes have something written on them," Kasab said when he was shown the Rs 100-note. The gunman further alleged that all the witnesses were briefed by the police. "One witness had in the identification parade identified me as the one in Hotel Taj. That witness was not brought to court during the trial," Kasab said.
He further said all the witnesses were shown his photograph prior to the parade and thus they could identify him and witnesses were prompted by the police. Kasab also alleged that even when he was in jail custody, three crime branch officials were guarding him and used to threaten him to give the statement before the magistrate. "I had given this complaint in writing to the magistrate on February 18, when I was produced for recording my confession. But when nothing was done on it, I kept mum and did not complain again," Kasab said. Kasab and two Indians- Faheem Ansari and Sabaudding Ahmed are facing trial for their involvement in the 26/11 terror attacks.
"I am scared of prosecutor Nikam," said lone surviving Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab to the 26/11 court while giving his statement on evidence adduced by the prosecution against him.
"Why are you looking every now and then at Nikam?" Judge M L Tahaliyani asked Kasab, to which he replied "kya karun woh kuch kehte hai to mere zehen mein ghus jata hai" (what to do, if he tells me something it has a deep effect on me). Does Nikam knows black magic that he mesmerises you to look at him, asked the Judge to which Kasab replied: "No Sir, he keeps mumbling something then I hesitate and this hinders my ability to express".
The gunman further said, "I also want to see how Nikam reacts when I am making a statement".
Kasab, attired in a white kurta-pyjama, has denied completely his role in 26/11 attack and also said he had made a confession earlier before a Magistrate under police duress.
When Judge and Nikam were conversing in Marathi, Kasab kept nodding, which prompted the judge to say he understands Marathi. Kasab then replied in Marathi, "Ikdhech Shiklo (I learnt it here)." PTI
