Terrorists are 'animals': SC judge

A senior judge of the Supreme Court today likened terrorists killing innocent people to "animals" and said they cannot be allowed to take benefit of human rights.

A senior judge of the Supreme Court on Tuesday likened terrorists killing innocent people to "animals" and said they cannot be allowed to take benefit of human rights.

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"Those who violate the rights of society and have no respect for human rights cannot be a human," Justice Arijit Pasayat said at a seminar on terrorism in New Delhi.

"We should not talk about human rights violation of terrorists because terrorists are the people who kill innocent people with AK-47 and AK-56," he said, adding that "those who killed innocent people by no stretch of imagination are human beings. They are worth not more than animals."

Pasayat stressed the need for effective implementation of the new terror law and said that "investigators and prosecutors should be trained properly in this regard".

He said cases relating to terror attacks should be taken on priority basis as "it is the object of the Act".

Solicitor General G E Vahanvati while referring to the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai said as a lawyer it would have been difficult for him to defend lone surviving terrorist Amir Ajmal Kasab.

The solicitor general said he could not defend a person against his conviction.

"If I go and defend a person against my conviction it would be unfair," he said.