Court accepts confession by Mumbai accused, but trial to continue

Court accepts confession by Mumbai accused, but trial to continue New Delhi - The trial stemming from November's Mumbai terrorist attacks is to continue despite the confession of the main defendant in the carnage, an Indian court decided Thursday.

Judge ML Tahilyani accepted on record the confession made this week by Ajmal Amir Kasab but said it was only a "partial admission" of guilt to all the 86 charges the defendant faces.

The court said Kasab's "plea of guilt" would be considered at an appropriate stage as evidence.

"The prosecution's stand is totally vindicated by the court, which noted that Kasab did not admit all the charges but admitted only some of the charges," public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, who had argued against ending the trial, told reporters outside the court in Mumbai.

Nikam contended that Kasab's confession Monday, after he had initially pleaded not guilty, was an attempt to minimize his role in the carnage and put blame on accomplice Abu Ismail, who died in the November attacks.

The prosecution also said it believes the confession was meant to divert attention from Kasab's alleged "handlers" in Pakistan and help them as they await trial in that country.

After the judge ordered the trial to proceed, the court examined a prosecution witness, a policeman who saw the carnage near the city's Cama hospital.

Earlier on Thursday, defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi offered to withdraw from the case, saying his client did not appear to have confidence in him.

The judge then asked Kasab and Kazmi to speak to each other to "sort out the problem," after which the proceedings continued.

Kasab faces more than 80 charges ranging from waging war on India to murder, kidnapping, robbery and destabilizing the government.

On Monday, Kasab stunned the court, set up in the high-security Arthur Road Jail, when he confessed to his role in the attack.

"Hang me, please, for my crimes," Kasab then pleaded Wednesday.

According to the prosecution, Kasab was arrested early November 27, the morning after he and nine other terrorists landed in Mumbai by boat from Karachi.

The terrorists struck with explosives and rifle fire at 13 places - including two hotels, a train station, a cafe and Jewish centre - and by the time the siege ended three days later, at least 166 people, including 26 foreign nationals, were dead.

India, which halted its peace talks with Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks, has repeatedly demanded that Pakistan take action against the perpetrators.

Indian police have filed an 11,000-page charge sheet against 38 people, including Kasab. Kasab could face the death penalty if convicted.

The charges allege key planners of the assaults included Hafiz Saeed, Fahim Ansari, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah, leaders of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group. (dpa)