Thaindian News

Mumbai, July 23 (IANS) The prosecution in the Mumbai terror attacks Thursday sought the trial court’s permission to summon and examine a US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) team that probed the 26/11 carnage.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the evidence of six FBI officials - who assisted in probing the terror strike - could reveal the conspiracy behind the attacks and prove crucial in nailing Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist who with his nine accomplices attacked Mumbai in November last year.

Nikam urged Special Judge M. L. Tahilyani that the names and addresses of the six-member FBI team submitted in a sealed envelope should not be disclosed.

These officers, including some technical experts, had collaborated closely with Mumbai Police in investigating the terror attacks case and also interrogated Kasab early this year.

At the time of filing the 11,500-plus page charge sheet in the terror attacks, Mumbai Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria had indicated that among the 2,202 witnesses lined up by the police, there were a few from the FBI who could be examined by the court.

Judge Tahilyani has kept the matter for hearing and orders Friday, including whether the FBI deposition would be conducted in open court or in-camera.

The court earlier accepted on record the confession of Kasab but the judge also ruled that the trial will continue as usual.

Nikam said that Kasab’s confession he made Monday has not been accepted since he has not divulged the complete truth about the conspiracy behind the terrorist strike.

“Accordingly, the court has ruled that the trial will continue as usual. So far, the prosecution has examined 134 witnesses in the case and we shall produce more witnesses before the court,” Nikam told reporters.

He told the court that the prosecution needed some more time to unravel the 26/11 conspiracy, the motives behind killing so many people, including foreigners, and other missing links in the terror attacks.

On Wednesday Kasab dramatically pleaded before the court that he accepted all his crimes and should be hanged.

His plea in the open court came two days after his confession in which he gave a chilling blow-by-blow account of his role in the terror attacks which left over 170 people dead.

Kasab said his confession was made voluntarily and without any pressures or external influence. He also denied the prosecution charge that he was making the confession to escape with a lighter punishment.