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What Kasab confessed before the court

Source: PTI
July 20, 2009 22:11 IST
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Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested for the 26/11 attacks, on Monday named four Lashkar-e- Tayiba members, including its operations chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who came to see the 10 accomplices off when they started from Karachi in a boat to reach the shores in Mumbai.

"We boarded Al-Husseini (the boat) from Karachi in Pakistan to come to Mumbai. Zakiur Rehman Laqvi, Abu Hamza, Abu Jindal and Abu Hamza came to see us off. We carried ration and oil (fuel). Later, we shifted to Indian fishing trawler 'Kuber' and killed its navigator Amarsing Solanki," the 21-year-old Pakistani national told a special trial court.

"Main bayan dena chahata hoon (I want to confess). Earlier Pakistan did not admit that I was its national but now that they have said it, I want to plead guilty...please accept my confession, close the case and give the sentence," Kasab told judge M L Tahaliyani on the 65th day of the trial.

Sporting a beard and clad in kurta and pyjama, Kasab said he had started as a decorator at Rawalpindi in Pakistan but did not earn enough money and therefore decided to team up with another person to become a robber and dacoit.

"As we needed weapons, we went to the LeT office where we were given money and recruited as jihadis. I and many others were trained in using arms and ammunition at jungles."

The court will give its ruling on Tuesday whether Kasab's confession was acceptable and whether it can conclude the trial and pronounce the judgment.

Kasab revealed he had attended a 21-day camp at a forest where they were trained in handling AK-47, pistol, gun, rocket launchers and hand grenades.

He was also taught how to exercise and keep himself fit.

Abu Jindal gave them training in Hindi. They were selected in pairs and ten of them were shortlisted after the training, he said.

He had also visited his home in Faridkot where he stayed with his father, two brothers, Mohammed Afzal, Mohammed Munib, sisters Rukaiya and Surraiya.

Kasab said he returned to Muzaffarabad where he met Abu Hamza.

Describing the CST attack, Kasab said while he was firing continuously, Abu Ismail was hurling hand grenades.

"Abu took such a position that no one could see him and I took a position behind him and kept firing," Kasab said.

After escaping from Cama hospital, the duo attacked a police jeep coming towards the hospital.

"Cama (hospital) se nikalne ke baad hum raste pe koi bhi gadi aane ki intezaar kar rahe the...Ek gadi tezi se aarahi thi magar phir dheere ho gayi...Gadi se firing hui toh Abu ne bhi firing ki. (We were waiting for a vehicle outside the Cama hospital. A vehicle was speedily approaching the hospital. There was firing from the car so Abu fired back)," Kasab said.

He said he started firing at the jeep and moved towards it when he realised that there were policemen inside.

"Humne police walon ko maar dala tha aur unko jeep se neeche utara. Ismail phir gaadi main driver ke seat par chada aur gadi chalu kiya. (We had killed the policemen and then we removed them from the jeep. Ismail got into the driver's seat and started the vehicle)," Kasab said.

The duo then drove the vehicle towards the Metro junction where they fired at mediapersons and policemen, and then reached the Vidhan Sabha where their jeep broke down.

Kasab said they got down the jeep and robbed a Skoda vehicle at gunpoint and drove towards Girgaum Chowpatty.

Seeing police bandobast ahead, Abu took a U-turn but rammed the car into the divider at Girgaum Chowpatty.

"When police came towards our vehicle, we cleaned our blood-stained faces and decided to tell them that we are college students," Kasab said.

"However, Abu opened fire and the police retaliated. One of the policeman pulled me out of the car. He started hitting me with his baton. He also hit on my stomach. I could hear shots being fired," Kasab said.

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