Mumbai gunman seeks no mercy from court
MUMBAI - The young Pakistani gunman who confessed to his role in the Mumbai attacks says he would rather be hanged in this world than face “God’s punishment’’ in the next.
The Indian court trying Ajmal Kasab has yet to accept his confession and guilty plea for taking part in one of the worst terrorist attacks in Indian history - three days of carnage in November that left 166 people dead. Judge M.L. Tahiliyani said he would decide today whether to accept the confession, which describes in detail Kasab’s links with a shadowy but well-organized group in Pakistan.
“Whatever I have done, I have done in this world. It would be better to be punished in this world. It would be better than God’s punishment. That’s why I have pleaded guilty,’’ Kasab told the court yesterday.
Kasab unexpectedly confessed Monday to taking part on the first day of the attacks in downtown Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital. His statement bolsters India’s charges that terrorist groups in neighboring Pakistan were behind the well-planned attack, and that it is not doing enough to clamp down on them.
“If I am hanged for this, I am not bothered,’’ he said. “I don’t want any mercy from the court. I understand the implications of my accepting the crime.’’
Chief prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam spent yesterday poking holes in Kasab’s confession, saying it is neither complete nor accurate. He maintains that Kasab is trying to minimize his role in the carnage to avoid the death penalty and protect his alleged co-conspirators in Pakistan.
Kasab admitted that he sprayed gunfire into the crowd at Mumbai’s main train station, and described training camps and safe houses across Pakistan, revealing the names of four men he said were his handlers.
