JOIN USA special court here on Friday convicted 12 of the 13 people accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings under charges of murder that could attract capital punishment.
Additional Sessions Judge Y D Shinde, who presided over the special court, pronounced the verdict. Arguments over the quantum of punishment would take place on Monday following which the judge would pronounce the sentence.
The verdict on one of the worst attacks on an urban transportation system in the world incidentally came on the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.
Over 200 people were killed and more than 700 injured on July 11, 2006, when seven powerful bombs ripped through first-class compartments of running local trains within 11 minutes at peak hours.
The blasts took place between Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim, Mira Road-Bhayander, Matunga-Mahim stations and at Borivali.
Those convicted include: Kamal Ahamed Ansari (37), Tanvir Ahmed Ansari (37), Mohd Faisal Shaikh (36), Ehtesham Siddiqui (30), Mohammad Majid Shafi (32), Shaikh Alam Shaikh (41), Mohd Sajid Ansari (34), Muzzammil Shaikh (27), Soheil Mehmood Shaikh (43), Zamir Ahmad Shaikh (36), Naveed Hussain Khan (30) and Asif Khan (38).
The lone accused who has been acquitted is 38-year-old Abdul Wahid Din Mohammed Shaikh.
The blast was planned by Bahawalpur-based Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Azam Cheema alias Babaji, who doubles up as an operative of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.
Cheema and his close aides took the help of home-grown activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, which over the years has taken shape as the Indian Mujahideen.
The accused were found guilty of charges under the Indian Penal Code, Explosives Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Indian Railway Act and the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.