By IANS,
Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) Mohammad Ajmal Amir alias Kasab, the lone Pakistani terrorist captured during the Nov 26 Mumbai attack, has confessed before a court here that he and his nine colleagues were trained under the supervision of a Pakistani army official of major general rank, the public prosecutor said Friday.
Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said that Kasab in his confessional statement before the special court said a “major general” had visited them during their training organised by Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT).
“He disclosed that he got a special pat from the major general for coming first in shooting training and told others who were not up to par to practise more,” Nikam told reporters after Friday’s hearing in the case related to the terrorist strike.
Kasab had petitioned the court that he was a minor and, therefore, should be tried by a juvenile court. “I strongly objected and told the court that he was lying,” said Nikam, pointing out that Kasab had described himself at 21 years of age at various events. The court dismissed the petition.
The public prosecutor said the charges laid against Kasab were mainly of waging war against the Indian government.
“Accused Kasab had disclosed that it was decided to target Mumbai with the aim of capturing Kashmir, so that the Indian government will become weak. Not just Mumbai, but other metropolitan cities were also planned to be attacked similarly,” Nikam said.
He said Colonel Sadatullah of the Pakistan government’s Special Communications Organisation had accessed email accounts opened by the terrorist group in the fictitious name of Kharak Singh.
“What information he wanted to access and why is part of further investigation,” Nikam said.
More than 170 people, including 26 foreigners, were killed when the 10 terrorists struck at select targets in this metropolis on the night of Nov 26, and held several hostage for 60 hours at two five-star hotels.