Death sentence for Mumbai attacker
INDIA: Two Indian judges Monday confirmed the death sentence
for the sole surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which 10
gunmen laid siege to the city, killing 166 people.
The Bombay High Court dismissed the claim by Pakistani national
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab that he was wrongfully convicted of taking
part in the attacks, likened in India to those in the United States on
September 11, 2001.
The judges also threw out the state's appeal against a lower court's
decision to acquit two Indian nationals who were accused of providing
hand-drawn maps to the 10 gunmen.
Kasab, who has not attended the appeal for security reasons but has
been able to follow proceedings via video link, looked at the floor as
the judgment was handed down, news channel NDTV said. "Harsh penalty of
death is required in some cases, especially this one, and the court
would be sending a wrong signal to society if any penalty less than
death is given," judges Ranjana Desai and R.V. More said in their
ruling.
"Kasab has never shown any remorse after his arrest and we have
observed that even on video conference he has not shown any signs of
regret," they added.
The 23-year-old was found guilty last May of a string of offences
including waging war against India, murder, attempted murder and
terrorist acts after a trial at a maximum security prison court in
Mumbai.
During the trial, the prosecution produced weighty fingerprint, DNA,
eye-witness, CCTV and other evidence against him.
In the appeal, which began last October, Kasab's legal team asked for
a retrial, arguing that his trial lawyer was not given sufficient time
to wade through the 11,000-page charge sheet before the case began.
They also claimed that prosecution evidence and witnesses were
manipulated. Under Indian law, death sentence cases have to be referred
to the local state high court. The judges can uphold the sentence,
reduce it, order a retrial or overturn the conviction.
Kasab has a further right of appeal to the Supreme Court in New Delhi
and as a last resort to India's president for clemency.
Mumbai, Monday, AFP |
