Dynamic friends

Continuing his flip-flop,
Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab today told a special court trying
the 26/11 attacks case that all the four terrorists who
stormed Taj hotel were Indians.
Kasab, whose statement is being recorded by the court
on evidences adduced by the prosecution, told Special Judge M
L Tahaliyani that while one of the terrorists of the Taj hotel
siege was a Kashmiri, another was from Gujarat.
Kasab claimed the third terrorist at Taj was Abu
Ismail from Mumbai. According to prosecution, Ismail was
gunned down at Girgaum Chowpatty by the police in an encounter
when he along with Kasab was trying to escape. He, however,
did not elaborate on the identity of the fourth terrorist at
the Taj.
The Pakistani terrorist has been making conflicting
statements in the court. While at one point Kasab confessed to
his guilt and admitted having shot people at Chhatrapati
Shivaji Terminus along with Abu Ismail before being captured
at Girgaum Chowpatty, he later denied any involvement in the
terror strikes.
Kasab's claim came when Judge Tahaliyani wanted to
know if he had anything to say about the slain terrorists who
had been identified by eyewitnesses.
When the Judge asked how he knew that Abu Ismail was
from Mumbai, Kasab said,"I can make out from his face". To
this Tahaliyani asked in a light-hearted manner "Did he look
like a Marathi manoos?"
After having initially confessed to his guilt, Kasab
had recently denied involvement and told the court that he had
come to India from Pakistan by Samjhauta Express several days
before the 26/11 carnage and was picked up from Girgaum
Chowpatty by police a day before the terror attacks.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the court,
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam described Kasab's claim
as "absurd and concocted".
"Kasab's claim is absurd and concocted. He has been
taking frequent U-turns and this is one of those. This will in
no way weaken the prosecution's case against him," Nikam said.