Spain convicts Mumbaiite, kin shocked by verdict

“My brother has been convicted primarily on the basis of a testimony given by one unidentified person,” said Mehboob Khan.

“My brother has been convicted primarily on the basis of a testimony given by one unidentified person,” said Mehboob Khan.

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Mehboob’s brother, Roshan Jamal Khan, has been convicted in Spain along with 10 Pakistanis for planning terrorist attacks in Barcelona’s underground train system.

Roshan, a 50-year-old businessman and graduate of St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison. The other accused were sentenced to jail for up to a period of 14 years.

The witness, reportedly testified that the accused “were going to attack the metro”.

“We are stunned by the verdict,” Mehboob said, adding, “We don’t even know his (the witness’) credibility.”

The Spanish police had arrested Roshan and 14 others from a mosque in Barcelona on January 19 last year. “If the Spanish authorities had concrete evidence against Jamal, then why did it commence the trial after two years? Why was sentencing handed over within six working days after commencement of trial? Why was the evidences not made public?” Mehboob said.