26/11 trial verdict to be given to Pakistan

Saeed, Lakhvi, Shah and Hamza – all citizens of Pakistan – are among the 20 wanted accused indicted by the Special Sessions Judge M L Tahilyani on Monday for the November 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Lakhvi, Shah and Hamza are being tried in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, while Lahore-based Saeed is free now and often spews venom against India.

Highly-placed sources in the Government on Tuesday said that India would possibly hand over yet another dossier to Pakistan – compiling all the evidences against Saeed and other 26/11 plotters and the special sessions court’s judgment.
Islamabad had on April 25 last formally asked New Delhi to hand over Ajmal Amir Kasab – the lone surviving 26/11 terrorist – and send Indian magistrates to Pakistan to testify in the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, where Lakhvi and six other LeT operatives are being tried. Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said that Kasab’s statement to the court in India and the testimony of the Indian magistrates and police officials, who had recorded it, would be crucial for the prosecution's case against the seven LeT men being tried in the court in Rawalpindi.

Legal process
Reacting to the request from Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had said that New Delhi would examine it only after the completion of the legal process in India.
Sources on Tuesday said New Delhi would ask Islamabad to act against Saeed now as the special sessions court in Mumbai had already indicted him for plotting the attacks and the indictment had been based on solid evidence. Though India had given several dossiers to Pakistan detailing the role of the JuD chief in the case, Islamabad continued to claim that it had not received enough evidence to prosecute him.
New Delhi, according to the sources, would also ask Islamabad to fast-track the trial of the seven LeT men in Pakistan. The court in Rawalpindi has last month adjourned the trial proceedings till May 8.
DH News Service