Mumbai confession 'was coerced'

Mumbai confession 'was coerced'

news.bbc.co.uk

The prosecution has accused the leading suspect in the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks of killing 166 people as his trial formally began.

The trial is of surviving suspected gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, and two alleged Indian accomplices.

Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said this was a conspiracy hatched in Pakistan to wage war on India by attacking multiple cities and claim Kashmir.

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[edit on 4/18/2009 by semperfortis]

That's some opening statement from the prosecution, I must say. It seems we're going to have a field day as this trial progresses.

Mr Qasab, 21, is charged with murder and waging war on India. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

Waging war on India? Sounds a little OTT, even if his crimes were heinous. Anyone else wondering whether the Indian government has some influence here & whether they're looking to make maximum capital out of this?

He said the gunmen had training from "intelligence professionals" but did not mention Pakistan by name.

India has accused Pakistan-based fighters from Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks. Pakistan has admitted they were partly planned on its soil.

This is one big can of worms...

But maybe I'm reading far too much into all this. Except even the MSM is dropping hints:

This case has generated huge interest in India, whose citizens were outraged by what they saw as the inability of their leaders to protect them in November.

India's government is under pressure to deliver results in the case, especially with the first phase of voting in the country's general elections getting under way on Thursday.

The more death sentences, the more votes, I suppose.





news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Mod Edit: Review This Link: Instructions for the Breaking News Forums: Copy The Exact Headline

[edit on 4/18/2009 by semperfortis]

The title of the article has now been changed to "Mumbai confession 'was coerced'", and the following interesting developments have been added:

The leading suspect in the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks trial has retracted his confession.

The lawyer for the sole surviving suspected gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, said it was extracted through coercion and force.

The prosecution had read out parts of his confession as the trial began and accused him of killing 166 people.

Nothing like a big, fat scapegoat to gloss over the Indian security apparatuses glorious failure during the Mumbai raids.

From the Indian NSG taking 10 hours to arrive to the hotel, or Indian Police allowing the media to broadcast live feeds of the hotel right as the NSG was storming it, allowing terrorists inside to be fully aware of the NSG's presence.

Not to mention the bickering and stalling by Indian's National Security Advisor and Defence Minister for a good day or so as to what appropriate action to take, while innocent people were dying.