Alleged Mumbai gunman says confession was 'forced'

Published on Friday 17 April 2009 22:07

THE lawyer for the alleged lone survivor among 10 gunmen who rampaged through Mumbai last November, killing 166 people, told a special court yesterday his confession to the act was forced and he wanted to retract it.

Police say Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, who sat barefoot in the dock dressed in a T-shirt and navy blue trousers, was one of the gunmen who arrived in Mumbai by sea from Pakistan to carry out the attacks.

The men had waged a war against India, intending to capture Kashmir, state prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court.

"There is prima facie evidence that it was a criminal conspiracy, a clear case of war against the country aimed at capturing Kashmir," he said.

"It was a well-rehearsed and well-thought out plan backed by Pakistan intelligence agencies," Nikam said, reading from a statement he said was Kasab's confession, recorded shortly after he was captured.

Pakistan's government has repeatedly denied any official involvement in the assault.

Defence attorney Abbas Kazmi said Kasab, who could face the gallows if found guilty, wanted to retract the confession as it was made under duress.

"My client has said he was tortured and that the confession was forced. He therefore wants to retract it," Kazmi said.

Nikam, who plans to produce more than 1,800 witnesses and more than 750 pieces of evidence to prove Kasab's guilt, said he'd show the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and backed by intelligence agencies there.