Kasab spits on video camera, wants to go to US

MUMBAI - Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, caught alive during the 26/11 Mumbai mayhem, Tuesday spat on the video-conferencing camera in the Arthur Road Central Jail from where he ‘attends’ the proceedings in the Mumbai High Court where arguments on confirming his death sentence are going on.

Though the jail officials discreetly switched off the camera at the right moment, they later informed the court of the spitting incident.

Kasab, who was seen misbehaving during the first day of the hearing Monday - laughing, stretching himself, playing with his jail uniform buttons, yawning and exhibiting boredom - continued his antics Tuesday, the jail officials said. At one time, he attempted to get up and walk away from the camera.

He also came on the live video-screen and demanded that he should be sent to the US since he was not sure on what charges he was being kept in captivity here.

At this, the bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R. V. More suggested that he should ask his lawyers under what charges he was being kept in jail.

Kasab also told the court in Hindi that he wanted to attend the proceedings in person, instead of through video-conferencing, which the judges declined on security grounds.

Kasab’s lawyers too agreed that he could not be brought to the Bombay High Court in view of security considerations.

Government counsel Ujjwal Nikam Monday opened his arguments in the case for confirming the death sentence awarded to Kasab by Special JUdge M.L. Tahaliyani May 6 this year.

Kasab was the only Pakistani gunman nabbed alive from the group of 10 terrorists who sneaked into Mumbai and created mayhem between Nov 26-29, killing 166 people, including 26 foreigners, and injuring around 300 others.