Posted on 07/24/2007 8:00:17 AM PDT by knighthawk
MUMBAI (Reuters) - A special court sentenced three Muslim men to death on Tuesday for their part in India's worst bombings, taking to 10 the number of people given the death penalty over the 1993 attacks that killed 257 people.
Zakir Hussain, Abdul Akhtar Khan and Firoz Akram Amani Malik were found guilty of lobbing grenades at some fishermen's houses in India's financial capital Mumbai, killing three people.
That attack was part of 13 explosions that ripped through several Mumbai landmarks, including the main stock exchange.
Police say the bombings were ordered by India's most wanted man, Muslim gangster Dawood Ibrahim, to avenge the destruction of an ancient mosque by Hindu zealots in 1992 and subsequent riots.
On hearing their sentences, the three convicts shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest), but were quickly taken away by police.
"They are all coveted members of the conspiracy," judge P.D. Kode said.
A fourth Muslim man found guilty of conspiring in the attacks, Moin Faridullah Qureshi, was spared the death penalty and sentenced instead to life in prison because he was only 17 years old, and therefore a minor, at the time.
The anti-terrorism court, which found 100 people guilty over the attacks, has so far sentenced 10 people to death and 17 to life imprisonment, mostly on charges of conspiracy, preparing the bombs or leaving explosives-laden cars and scooters in busy markets and cinemas.
Another 64 people have been sentenced to varying jail terms and fines for planning and abetting the attacks or for illegal possession of arms.
The death sentences have to be ratified by India's Supreme Court.
Those sentenced so far include smugglers, petty criminals and a Bollywood producer, as well as policemen and customs officials who took bribes to let the explosives through.
Reuters (IDS)
Ping
HuH?
Bollywood is big money. A big part of the underworld extortion money used to come from people involved in the movie industry.
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