Pak admits four dead terrorists are its nationals

Sanjeev Shivadekar & Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Pakistan has admitted to the Indian government that four of the nine terrorists involved in the 26/11 attack are all Pakistani nationals, state home minister Jayant Patil revealed on Monday. “Though they have admitted to the identity of only four, we will send all nine terrorists’ bodies back to Pakistan,’’ he added.

Patil refused to say which Pakistani dossier had admitted the involvement of four of their nationals.

Mumbai crime branch chief Rakesh Maria said they had written to the ministry of home affairs on Monday. “Four bodies lying at the JJ morgue were identified with names and their Pakistani addresses by sole surviving gunman Ajmal Kasab. They were Fahadullah, Abu Ismail, Abdur Rehman Bada and Abu Akanksha. Fahadullah was killed at Trident, Akanksha and Rehman Bada were gunned down at Nariman House while Ismail was killed in an encounter at Chowpatty,’’ said Maria. “We have written the four slain terrorists’ addresses, attached their photos and information about their involvement,’’ he added.

Patil admitted that in spite of the best efforts by doctors to preserve them, the bodies are in a high state of decomposition. He said, “We will wait for 10-12 days for the reply. If these bodies are not accepted by Pakistan within this timeframe, then we would take a decision to dispose them off.’’

The samples necessary for DNA and forensic tests have already been removed from these bodies, he added.

Significantly, this is the third time that the state government has written to the Union home ministry asking them to inform Pakistan to take the bodies back to Pakistan.

Muslim groups and organisations had earlier said that they will not allow the bodies of the terrorists to be buried in their burial grounds as the acts committed by the men were not of Muslims.

Kasab wants a clock to keep time for Ramzan
Pakistani gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab has told the court that he wanted to fast during the holy month of Ramzan. He has also requested that he be allowed to keep a clock in his cell so that he can keep track of time while observing rozas. Judge M L Tahaliyani is expected to consult jail authorities before passing an order. MTNL will set up video-conferencing facilities inside the special court to enable three foreign witnesses to depose. They will give evidence about the communication link the terrorists used. —Kartikeya