Translation slip-up has prosecution on backfoot

Judge M.L. Tahaliyani of the special court probing the 26/11 terror attack asked Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam if there was any probe in the Urdu words on the 10 IED found on the alleged LeT attackers.

Judge M.L. Tahaliyani of the special court probing the 26/11 terror attack asked Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam if there was any probe in the Urdu words on the 10 improvised explosive devices (IED) found on the alleged Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) attackers.

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The prosecution had earlier claimed that each IED bore names of the 10 attackers.

However, words on the unexploded device found at CST almost a week after the attack said: ‘Mujaheeds fighting for the Almighty’.

A hesitant Nikam said the probe the same had not been probed.

The lapse came to light after the judge confronted sole surviving attacker Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab about the box in which the IED was kept at CST.

Kasab said he had nothing to do with it. “That is not my handwriting,” he said.

In his statement, Kasab denied having had any marine training at LeT camp in Karachi saying: “'I am an innocent villager from Faridkot.”

Kasab also said nobody had explained to him about the map on Mumbai city allegedly prepared by co-accused Faheem Ansari.

As for his confessional statement, Kasab said the police had concocted it.

Neither anybody told me anything, nor I have told anything to anybody,” said Kasab when the judge questioned him about the alleged last lecture given by LeT founder Hafiz Mohammed Saeed at Karachi port.

Recording of Kasab's statement will continue on Thursday.