Mumbai Terrorist Sentenced to Death Penalty for Monstrous Blasts

Seventeen months after a terrorist attack on Mumbai, a special Indian court convicted the lone surviving gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab, but acquitted two Indians Sabauddin and Faheem Ansari. Kasab, who hails from Faridkot in Pakistan, now faces the prospect of a death penalty.

Photo: Mumbai Terrorist Sentenced to Death Penalty for Monstrous Blasts

Special Anti-Terror Court Judge ML Tahaliyani will decide on the exact sentence today (Tuesday). The court said the evidence against the two Indians – who had allegedly prepared the maps of the terror targets and handed those over to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LT) – could not be relied upon and acquitted them. The court also held that 20 of the wanted accused, including LT founder Hafiz Saeed, operations chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Abu Hamza, were involved in the Mumbai attacks, Daily Times reports.

India's Home Minister, P Chidambaram, welcomed the verdict and said it sent a clear message to Pakistan that "they should not export terror to India. If they do, and if the terrorists are apprehended, we will be able to give them exemplary punishment," he said.

The judgement has increased pressure on Pakistan to act against the leaders of the LeT terrorist group after the judge ruled that its commanders had ordered the attack, Telegraph says.