Posted on 05/06/2010 2:49:01 AM PDT by James C. Bennett
Chicago: As Ajmal Kasab awaits punishment after being held guilty in the Mumbai attacks, the widow of an American killed in the terror strikes says she does not favour death penalty for the Pakistani gunman and prefers him to be jailed for life.
Kia Scherr, whose 13-year-old daughter was also killed in the 26/11 strikes, further said she is planning to visit India later this year and would especially like to meet "the families of those who lost their lives in the attack" in November 2008.
"I have never favoured the death penalty. More killing does not solve anything. Kasab should remain in the Indian prison system for life. In the meantime, I favour rehabilitation and education," Scherr told PTI in an e-mail statement.
Kasab will be sentenced tomorrow by a special court in Mumbai with the prosecution demanding death penalty, branding him a killing machine manufactured in Pakistan. Scherr's husband, Virginia resident Alan Scherr, and their daughter Naomi were at Mumbai's Oberoi Hotel when Kasab along with nine other Pakistani terrorists held the city hostage for three days killing 166 people, including six Americans.
Terming the court's guilty verdict as "appropriate", Scherr said "I do think this verdict of guilty for Ajmal Kasab will bring some closure to the families of the victims".
Planning to visit India later this year, Scherr said she would like to meet the people of Mumbai. "Mr Oberoi, the owner of the Oberoi Hotel, where my husband and daughter were killed, is in support of our message and has agreed to be an honorary member of our Board of Advisors. He invited us to be his guests when we come to Mumbai," she said.
Scherr said if Kasab could be moved to tell the truth, he could "perhaps prevent more young men from joining the terrorist groups. I am open to this possibility and would be willing to have this conversation with him".
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BREAKING: Mumbai attacks: Kasab gets the death penalty
I have never favored prison sentences for terrorists. Allowing vermin to drink the same water and breath the same air we need to survive never solves anything. Kasabe should have been executed right after the sentence was handed down. In the meantime, I favor a very painful death. One that will send a message and educate those who feel they must follow in the footsteps of this terrorist.
Wow, even when reality bitch slaps them, they still don't get it. Fortunately, the decision is not up to her.
Kasab’s actions amount to ‘waging war against nation’
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_kasab-s-actions-amount-to-waging-war-against-nation_1378734
Mumbai: Holding that a war-like situation was created by the 10 Pakistani gunmen, including Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, who attacked the city on November 26, 2008, the special court held Kasab guilty for waging war against the State.
The judge came to this conclusion after going through Kasab’s confession, in which he has spoken about his training; the reason he came to Mumbai; the planning and acquisition of arms, ammunition, explosives; hijacking the trawler MV Kuber; purchase of telephones and GPS devices; and the student identity cards forged to conceal their identities.
“I have given a finding that this planning cannot be made by normal criminals. This was a preparation made for a war,” said special judge ML Tahaliyani.
The court also took into consideration the fact that extra government forces like the National Security Gaurds (NSG), Marcos commandos had to be called to fight the terrorists.
“The resistance put up by the accused is indicative of the determination to fight the war,” the judge opined. The court considered the talk between a Pakistani gunman, Fahadullah, after his accomplice, Abdul Rehman Bada, was killed by the NSG commandos at Oberoi Hotel.
“He was cornered form all sides but he received instructions to fight till death,” said judge Tahaliyani.
Fahadullah handlers had tried to motivate him by saying: “Mere veer, sabar karna hai. Himmat karni hain, aur muqabla karna hain datke (My brother, you have to be patient. Have courage and carry on fighting.”
The court also found Kasab guilty under Section 122 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with collecting arms, ammunition with the intention of waging war against the nation.
“It appears from his confession that such people are regularly recruited in Pakistan,” the judge said, adding that a foreigner can be held guilty under the offence.
Kasab breaks down after death sentence
IANS, May 6, 2010, 03.10pm IST
MUMBAI: Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab broke down Thursday in the court room after he was sentenced to death for the Mumbai terror attack. But the public prosecutor called it “crocodile tears”.
The 23-year-old from Pakistan’s Punjab province was seen crying as he was led back to the court room after stepping out briefly with the judge’s consent to drink water.
Walking slowly, he wiped his tears before returning to the dock where he sat down, his head bowed.
Kasab, the only one of 10 Pakistani terrorists taken alive after the November 2008 slaughter in Mumbai, looked downcast during his stay in the court at the Arthur Road prison.
At times, he sat with his right hand covering his mouth.
At one point, special judge M.L. Tahaliyani asked the defence lawyer if Kasab wanted to say something. When the question was posed to him, Kasab just shook his head. He looked irritated and again sat down.
The judge then spoke directly to the prisoner in Hindi: “Do you want to say something?”
Kasab looked at the judge blankly, shook his head and sat down.
Speaking later, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said: “Those were crocodile tears.” Nikam went on to recite a Sanskrit verse to mean that no matter how much milk is given to a snake, it will always spew venom.
WTF is it with these people? If this had happened to a child of mine, there’s no torture I can think of that would satisfy and I’d try them all. Screw the “moral high ground. Make their demise as painful, humiliating, and degrating as possible.
degrating=degrading. It’s early ya know.
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