Thaindian News

Chicago, May 17 (IANS) The questioning begins here Tuesday of some 100 prospective jurors in the terrorism trial of Pakistani-born Tahawwur Hussain Rana for aiding Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the November 2008 Mumbai attack.

The prospective jurors Monday filled out detailed written questionnaires seeking their background and views on a variety of subjects as the process of jury selection in one the biggest international terrorist attacks began in the court of US District Judge Harry Leinenweber.

The selection of 12 jurors and six alternates for the expected month-long trial is likely to take up most of the week. Opening statements are scheduled for next Monday.

Lawyers for Rana have said picking a fair jury in spite of what they called persistent biases against Muslims in the US would be a challenge. Rana is a Chicago businessman charged with providing a cover to his Pakistani-American high school friend David Coleman Headley for scouting targets for the Mumbai terrorist attack,

As jury selection began amid tight security in the Dirksen, US, courthouse here Monday, Rana’s attorney Charlie Swift told reporters that since 80 percent of Americans distrust Islam, his client needed fair jurors.

The jury needed people who are ethnically and racially diverse, men, women, young, old, who could put aside their prejudice and biases, he said, asserting: “There is only one verdict the jury will reveal - not guilty.”

Rana’s other attorney Patrick Blegen said: “People hailing from India, Denmark and Pakistan would most likely be disqualified.”

The prosecution’s star witness is expected to be Headley, son of a Pakistani diplomat and an American mother, who changed his given name of Daood Gilani to scout targets for Mumbai attack without arousing suspicion.

Headley, who has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty, is reported to have told Indian investigators during questioning in Chicago last year, about how Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was deeply involved in planning the Mumbai attacks.

His LeT “handler” in the Mumbai attack was Major Iqbal, who is believed to be a retired ISI officer. In the indictment his name is listed as unknown.

Besides Rana four others charged in absentia include Major Iqbal and Sajid Mir, allegedly another LeT supervisor who also “handled” Headley.

Also indicted is Ilyas Kashmiri, the commander of the terror group Harakat-ul Jihad Islami (HuJI), who also is believed to be Al Qaeda’s operational chief in Pakistan.