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Mumbai accused says ready to die Mumbai accused says ready to die
(about 2 hours later)
The main suspect in last November's Mumbai attacks has told the trial court he is ready to be hanged after admitting his role in the violence.The main suspect in last November's Mumbai attacks has told the trial court he is ready to be hanged after admitting his role in the violence.
Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab's outburst in court came after the prosecution said the accused had changed his plea to guilty to secure leniency. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab's outburst came as prosecutors said he had changed his plea to guilty to secure leniency.
Prosecutors urged the court to proceed with the trial even though Mr Qasab now says he is guilty. Prosecutors want the trial to proceed but the defence says it should end if the court accepts his plea. A decision from the judge is now due on Thursday.
More than 170 people were killed in the attacks, nine of them gunmen.More than 170 people were killed in the attacks, nine of them gunmen.
Prosecutors made their submission as proceedings resumed in court in Mumbai (Bombay) on Wednesday.
The court must decide whether to accept the guilty plea.
Mr Qasab, who is a Pakistani, faces 86 charges, including waging war on India, murder and possessing explosives.Mr Qasab, who is a Pakistani, faces 86 charges, including waging war on India, murder and possessing explosives.
In May, he had pleaded not guilty to all charges.In May, he had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
'Three possibilities' 'Inconsistent'
On Monday, Mr Qasab said he had decided to confess voluntarily because Pakistan had finally admitted he was a Pakistani citizen. The confession took everyone by surprise, most notably his own lawyers. Chief public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam asked the court to keep Mr Qasab's confessional statement on record and allow them to continue with the evidence and trial.
MAIN QASAB CHARGES Waging war on IndiaMurderConspiracy to murderDestabilising the governmentKidnapRobberySmuggling and possessing illegal arms and explosives href="/2/hi/south_asia/8160495.stm">Media see early end to trial class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8159077.stm">Profile: Mumbai suspect href="/2/hi/south_asia/8161734.stm">Attackers' bodies still unclaimed If anyone believes that I am doing this [pleading guilty] to get mercy, then go ahead and hang me Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab Profile: Mumbai suspect href="/2/hi/south_asia/8160243.stm">Excerpts from confession
Proceedings were adjourned on Tuesday after the prosecution said it needed more time to study the confession. He said the statement was "inconsistent with the prosecution evidence".
Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said he wanted to provide a detailed response to different points made in the confession. Mr Nikam said by making the confession, the accused was putting the larger blame on his accomplice [Abu Ismail] who was already dead.
The BBC's Prachi Pinglay, who is in court, says the judge wants to decide whether the confession was made voluntarily and whether there were any loopholes in his statement. "Very shrewdly, very cleverly Qasab has tried to save his own skin by showing he was acting as a subordinate to Abu Ismail," the lawyer said.
Adjourning the hearing on Tuesday, Judge Tahiliyani explained the options open to him. "He knows that by denying a major role, no Indian court is going to award him the death penalty."
"There are three possibilities - the plea can be accepted, or it can be rejected. The third is, the plea can be taken on record and the trial will continue," he said. At this point Mr Qasab said: "If anyone believes that I am doing this [pleading guilty] to get mercy, then go ahead and hang me."
"I cannot decide right now. I will decided after hearing the prosecution and the defence," the judge concluded. He also told special judge ML Tahiliyani: "Since I have committed the crime in this world, I should be punished in this world. I do not want to be punished by Allah."
Legal experts have said that if the judge does finally accept the testimony in court, then the trial will end soon and the court will pronounce a sentence. MAIN QASAB CHARGES Waging war on IndiaMurderConspiracy to murderDestabilising the governmentKidnapRobberySmuggling and possessing illegal arms and explosives class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8160495.stm">Media see early end to trial class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8161734.stm">Attackers' bodies still unclaimed class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8158913.stm">Tears and smirks in court
Mr Qasab could face the death penalty if the judge agrees to impose the maximum penalty. Defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi told the court: "I'm not prevailing over my client's wishes. If the trial has to continue, then this statement cannot be on record."
But, if the court accepts the statement, then it must pronounce the judgement in the case, he said.
After hearing both sides, the judge said he would announce his order on how to proceed in the case on Thursday.
Earlier, Judge Tahiliyani said the court had taken "all precautions and safeguards before recording" Mr Qasab's statement and he was convinced that the accused understood the implications of his statement.
"The accused has been following what is transpiring in the court. He said he wasn't looking for lesser punishment. He said even if the death penalty was awarded, he would not mind. So further clarification is not needed," the judge said.
TensionsTensions
Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, 21, was arrested on the first day of the attacks and has been in Indian custody ever since.Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, 21, was arrested on the first day of the attacks and has been in Indian custody ever since.
He is alleged to be the only one of 10 gunmen to have survived. The others were all killed by Indian security forces.He is alleged to be the only one of 10 gunmen to have survived. The others were all killed by Indian security forces.
The attacks led to a worsening of relationship between India and Pakistan. The attacks led to a worsening of relations between India and Pakistan.
India accused Pakistan-based fighters from the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks.India accused Pakistan-based fighters from the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the attacks.
In the immediate aftermath of the killings, Pakistan denied any responsibility, but later admitted the attacks had been partly planned on its soil. In the immediate aftermath of the killings, Pakistan denied any responsibility, but later admitted the attacks had been partly planned on its soil. Islamabad also eventually confirmed that Mr Qasab was a Pakistani citizen.
Islamabad also eventually admitted that Mr Qasab was a Pakistani citizen. That admission, Mr Qasab said on Monday, was what had prompted him to confess. He said his decision to do so had been taken voluntarily. The move took everyone by surprise, most notably his own lawyers.
He could face the death penalty if the judge agrees to impose the maximum penalty.