ISLAMABAD: Pakistani national Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, being tried by India for last year’s Mumbai terror attacks, offered to make a confessional statement of his own free will and after being told that he was under no legal obligation to do that, according to the English translation of his statement provided by India on Pakistan’s demand.

Ajmal recalled in his confessional statement his first contact with Lashkar-i-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa in 2007, his induction into the network, subsequent training and contacts with Hafiz Saeed, the chief of outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, among others. 

According to the confessional statement, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was present at a creek as Ajmal and his associates started their voyage to Mumbai on Nov 22 last year.

After the Indian government conveyed information on Mumbai terror attacks in January, the Pakistan government decided to launch a probe through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

After the FIA registered a case against Ajmal Kasab and eight others, the Indian government was conveyed 32 questions for answers to help in the FIA probe.

In response, New Delhi furnished some ‘evidences, in addition to the confessional statement of accused Ajmal Kasab. But the statement, provided to Islamabad last month, was in Hindi and Marathi languages, prompting the latter to call for certified English translations of the confessional statement. 

The FIA’s Special Investigation Unit (FIU) had already registered a case against Ajmal Kasab, Amjad Khan, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Hamad Amin, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Abu Hamza, Kahfa, Zarar Shah and Al Qama.

According to the documents provided by India, Muhammad Ajmal Kasab recorded his confessional statement with the magistrate of the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate 3, Mrs R.V. Sawant-Wagule. The English translation handed to Pakistan on June 9 contains Kasab’s replies to more than 32 questions put by the magistrate.

It said Kasab gave his name and address as Mohammad Ajmal Mohammad Amir Kasab, resident of village Faridkot, Tahsil Dipalpur, District Okara, Punjab Pakistan. 

While replying to a question, he told the magistrate that he had studied up to fourth standard in Urdu in the government primary school of Faridkot and knows Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi languages.

He said in his statement that he was caught by the Indian police on November 26, 2008 from Mumbai. He said he wished to record his confessional statement at the time the Mumbai police caught him.

The English translation says he had absolutely no remorse for whatever he had done. That is why he wished to give the confessional statement. Questioned about some marks on his hands, he said those were from the bullets fired by police on November 26, 2008.
 
‘On November 26, 2008 I and my colleagues carried out a fidayini assault on the city of Bombay. I wish to give the confessional statement in respect of that and in respect of its conspiracy,’ he told the magistrate.

The English translation quoted him saying that he was neither beaten nor forced by anybody for confessional statement. He said he wished to give the confessional statement so that more fidayins should be prepared to do the same work which he had done.

The magistrate informed him that he was in her custody and asked: ‘Did the police who are investigating the offence or anybody come to see you?’ and he replied: ‘No’.

The magistrate then reminded him: ‘There is no legal binding on you to give the confessional statement. Are you aware of this?’ He replied: ‘Yes, I am aware.’

‘Have the police or any other person promised you to make you an approver or to exonerate you from this offence on your giving the confessional statement?’ the magistrate asked.

‘Nobody has given me any promise of this type,’ Kasab replied, according to the English translation provided by India.