'Cases registered against nine people, including Kasab'
After constantly denying any involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan today finally admitted that “some part of the conspiracy” was hatched on its soil and a case has been registered against nine people, including Ajmal Kasab, the lone captured terrorist.
After a series of flip-flops on Kasab’s nationality and role of Pakistani nationals, Interior Ministry chief Rahman Malik said “most of the conspirators” of the Mumbai terror attacks were in their custody.
Islamabad today made its first formal response to the Indian dossier giving details of the probe. While the Indian Foreign Office said it would study the response and react further, the Pakistani Foreign Office hoped India would reciprocate with the same spirit of cooperation.
Malik identified Hamad Amin Sadiq, a 38-year-old man hailing from Punjab province, as the “main operator” in facilitating and coordinating the Mumbai attacks and named two others — one Khan and one Riaz — as accused in the case. In all, cases have been filed against eight persons, six of them already in custody on charges of “abetting, conspiracy and facilitation” of a terrorist act.
Malik also said Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander and alleged mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and communication expert Zarar Shah were linked to the attacks. They have been located and were under investigation, he said.
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He said Pakistan needed more information and assistance from India in bringing out a successful criminal prosecution and added they were sending 30 questions to New Delhi.
He said Pakistan wanted the DNA samples of Kasab to establish his identity. Other things Pakistan wants from India, are Kasab’s national identity card, electronic diaries seized and the confessional statement made by him in the Indian court and details of who helped in the refuelling of one of the boats used by the terrorists.
Malik said nine terrorists, who carried out the Mumbai attacks, had sailed from Karachi and one of the boats had returned to the port city. Kasab was named among the accused who had “prima facie committed offences” punishable under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance, Malik said.
Though Malik said the Indian dossier on the Mumbai incident named Lakhvi as one of those who had launched the attacks, he did not specify whether Lakhvi was named in the case. Malik said Sadiq had two bank accounts from which transactions related to the attacks were made. Information provided by Sadiq led investigators to two militant hideouts — one in Karachi and another located a short distance from the southern port city.
The suspect identified as Khan purchased the engine that powered the inflatable rubber boat used by the attackers to travel from a trawler to the Mumbai shore and other articles like life jackets. Khan also gave sleuths a phone number that helped them trace Sadiq, he said.