Pak court indicts 7 accused in Mumbai attacks

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

There are many countries that find much to complain about in Pakistan's behavior, so India is not alone in its predicament.

Officially its pretty much just India.

The Afghans under Karzai stand discredited given their own corruption and the West's complete disgust with them.

The Iranians badmouth the West, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the 'joos', so not much credibility there either.

But int any case, my reference to non-stop Indian whining was only to point out that given the 'non-stop nature', there are half a dozen 'coincidences' one can discover at any particular time that can be related to events in Pakistan.

 

[Halaku Khan]

This sounds like a relatively realistic indication of what actually happened:

Peace with Pakistan was also a victim of Mumbai massacres - The National Newspaper, UAE
Tom Hussain, Foreign correspondent

In fact, rumours had started to circulate within security analyst circles as early as March 2008 that the militants were planning “something big in India”.

In the months immediately after the Mumbai attacks, Pakistani intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, had admitted that they had kept track of the militants’ preparations, but had been given the slip at a critical moment.

“Somewhere between the end of training and the launch of the operation, the militants disappeared. We have concluded that during that period, they were contacted by al Qa’eda operatives and given a new mission,” said an official, who was speaking without authorisation.

“The result was that the original operational parameters, which had been confined to attacking the Taj [palace hotel], were expanded to the terrorisation of the Mumbai public and the targeting of the Jewish community centre.”

So, the target list that had been approved by the ISI was expanded by Al Qaeda, at least as per this correspondent's sources.

The indictment of the accused is a positive step, but from the delays that have happened so far, it does not seem that Pakistan is particularly serious.

Anyway, we wait and watch.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

So, the target list that had been approved by the ISI was expanded by Al Qaeda, at least as per this correspondent's sources.

NIce distortion - the ISI prepared no 'target list'. What the 'source' has sugested is that the militants had one target when they were initially under obsrvation, and that they expanded the list after they managed to slip away.

The fact that the militants were 'under observation' and 'slipped away' would be indicative of the fact that those monitoring them were not invovled - since there would be no monitoring or 'slipping away' if they were.

Keep clutching at straws to try and implicate Pakistani institutions.

 

[Halaku Khan]

NIce distortion - the ISI prepared no 'target list'. What the 'source' has sugested is that the militants had one target when they were initially under obsrvation, and that they expanded the list after they managed to slip away.

The fact that the militants were 'under observation' and 'slipped away' would be indicative of the fact that those monitoring them were not invovled - since there would be no monitoring or 'slipping away' if they were.

Keep clutching at straws to try and implicate Pakistani institutions.

It is likely that the plan would have been nipped in the bud, had the ISI felt uncomfortable with the initial target list.

The events that happened in Mumbai, and are now happening in various parts of Pakistan, are a natural consequence of Pakistan's policy of nurturing and using non-state actors as strategic assets.

 

[vkurian]

I good step in right direction.

Let us give them the credit where it is due the debate regarding do more can continue. I personally feel it is a bold step on part of Pakistan.It also sends a message to the militants that GOP means business and the law of the land will prevail.It also enhances Pakistans image internationally.

Why India is insisting on Hafeez saeed is all know he is the leader of the group but if GOP of Pakistan takes a resolve that its soil will be not be used to plan & launch any attacks on any other country then there can be peace and harmony in the sub continent.So arrest of an individual or banning of a group will not make any difference as only the name will change.

If GOP can take this decision and ensure it by itself it will be great or it wil have to do it sooner than later under international pressure.The excuse of non state actors must cease and everything must be under GOP.Its high time that Pakistan give up the strategy to pull India down rather it should focus on bringing Pakistan up.

 

[haawk]

Terrorist impersonates Pranab, calls up Zardari
CNN-IBN
Published on Fri, Nov 27, 2009 at 09:49 in World section

WAR-LIKE SITUATION: Sheikh had posed as Mukherjee and had reportedly threatened Zardari (above) over the phone.

New Delhi: A man who was making hoax calls to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari after the 26/11 attacks and claiming to be Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, has been identified as Omar Saeed Sheikh - a militant.

Sheikh had posed as Mukherjee and had reportedly threatened Zardari over the phone in a bid to increase tensions between India and Pakistan post 26/11.

Reports say that Sheikh even made a phone call to Pranab Mukherjee and that he got through to an operator handling Mukherjee's calls and told her that he was the President of Pakistan. However, the Indian side grew suspicious of the caller as the normal procedure for placing such a high-level call was not followed and it was never put through to the minister.

Sheikh also made an attempt to talk to the US Secretary of State. He had made the calls from a Britain-registered SIM and much to Islamabad's embarrassment, from inside a jail in Karachi. He is currently confined in a high security cell of Karachi jail, imprisoned for the murder of Wall Street Journal journalist, Daniel Pearl.

Sheikh - who is in jail - got updates on the Mumbai carnage from his wife, Saadia, using his mobile phone secretly. Reports say that he was in touch with the mastermind of the 26/11 carnage, Lashkar-e-Toiba leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Sheikh had been released by the BJP-led government in India in exchange for the passengers of the hijacked IC-814 plane in Kandahar.



Terrorist impersonates Pranab, calls up Zardari

 

[Wajahat_Ali]

nothing will happen to these culprits...they will be exonerated and these LeT terrorists will roam freely in pakistan..then they will plan yet another attack against India...this trial is a mockery of justice...just to please the US and sending a message across that pakistan is serious about dealing the terrorrism issue....total crap

and even if these terrorists are brought to justice what about the big fish Hafeez saeed??This terrorist is a national hero for pakistanis,isn't it??

 

[Awesome]

We had always promised due process and I'm glad that happened. Indians were being too bossy and dictating terms and hence created hurdles for themselves when Pakistan simply start treating Indians as a spoiled child throwing tantrums.

 

[Bushy]

We had always promised due process and I'm glad that happened. Indians were being too bossy and dictating terms and hence created hurdles for themselves when Pakistan simply start treating Indians as a spoiled child throwing tantrums.

Now you are being strange, Asim.

Over 170 people died in a freak show of violence with the sole purpose of instilling terror in the hearts of common people.

After it became clear, and proven, that it originated from the Pakistani soil, India lodged protests and demanded justice for its people from the Government of Pakistan. And now you call these demands tantrums of a spoiled child? What are we spoiled with... by bullets and grenades thrown on our faces?

India brought the voice of demand up each time there was laxity on part of the Government of Pakistan in bringing those criminals to justice. These are not tantrums of a spoiled child. India is asking the state of Pakistan to either bring the perpetrators to justice in a clear and sound fashion, or simply confess its collusion with them. And now when the GoP is showing some mettle, it is being derided by every other Pakistani.

 

[TOPGUN]

Good news but i hope the gov of Pakistan will actually punish or kill these bastards and bring them to justice . I hope this will boast and bring peace between the two countires Pakistan/India .

 

[Wajahat_Ali]

India should stop expecting justice from pakistani judicial system..it's a mere puppet in the hands of pakistan army and pakistan army will never punish terrorists that act against India,instead they will reward them

 

[Solomon2]

stop expecting justice from pakistani judicial system..it's a mere puppet -

If that's true, then why were these guys indicted at all?

 

[vnomad]

India should stop expecting justice from pakistani judicial system..it's a mere puppet in the hands of pakistan army and pakistan army will never punish terrorists that act against India,instead they will reward them

Perhaps, one should hold judgement and let the Pakistani judiciary try them and pronounce its decision. Even if the justice is delayed but delivered, I for one would salute the Pakistani judicial system. At this point, deciding its all a sham is premature.

 

[Bhushan]

Lakhvi's indictment to be challenged in Lahore HC: lawyer

The indictment of LeT leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects by a Pakistani anti-terror court for planning and helping execute the Mumbai attacks will be challenged in the Lahore High Court as authorities have no solid evidence against them, the militant commander's lawyer said on Sunday.

Khwaja Sultan Ahmed, the counsel for Lakhvi, said he would file a petition in the Lahore High Court to challenge the indictment before the next hearing of the case in the anti-terror court on December 5. Mere propaganda against the accused will not be enough to convict them," he said.

"I don't think the government has any solid evidence against the accused.

The court has indicted them under pressure (from the interior ministry) and I am quite hopeful that the Lahore High Court will undo it," Ahmed told PTI.

A Rawalpindi-based anti-terror court last week indicted Lakhvi, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Mazhar Iqbal alias Abu al Qama, Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younas Anjum for providing training, weapons and funds to the 10 terrorists, including Ajmal Amir Kasab, to carry out the attacks in Mumbai during November 26-28 last year that killed nearly 180 people.

Lakhvi was described in the prosecution's charge sheet as the mastermind of the attacks All the accused have pleaded not guilty.

Ahmed was of the view that there are also "many loopholes" in the case against Kasab in India.

He said if the Pakistan government allowed him to do so, he would be willing to go to India and challenge the Indian lawyers in this regard.

For example, he said the prosecution had presented a witness who claimed he had met Kasab in Nepal and found maps of Mumbai in his possession.

"The prosecution did not present that witness again, perhaps finding him hardly an impressive one," he said.

The confessional statement of Kasab too is questionable, Ahmed claimed.

 

[Hulk]

This is not fair 7 innocent men have been indicted. Pakistan should protest, Zaid Hamid should lead the protest.