Is India Planning To Announce Kassab’s Death?
Reliable sources in the Indian capital with links to Indian police told a Pakistani Web portal that senior Indian officials have discussed the elimination of Ajmal Kassab, the lone surviving terrorist in the Mumbai attacks, in a staged attack that would be later blamed on Pakistani intelligence. The Indian police went defensive after the report leaked into the mainstream media. But insider sources in New Delhi insist the plan is real. It's not clear why the Indian government might want to kill Mr. Kassab. The loopholes in the Indian story on the attacks have been increasingly highlighted since Nov. 28, when the Mumbai siege ended.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—In response to PakistanKaKhudaHafiz (PKKH)'s exclusive report about Kassab's death, the Maharashtra government on Friday said the lone terrorist arrested in 26/11 Mumbai attacks is very much alive.
"Kassab is in Mumbai police custody and very much alive," state Home Minister Jayant Patil said. [Rediff]
In addition to the Home Minister, the Mumbai Police Commissioner also denied the reports of Kassab's death.
"Kassab is safe in our custody," Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor told PTI.
PakistanKaKhudaHafiz reported on Tuesday 27th January that Amir Ajmal Kassab, the lone terrorist arrested for carrying out the 26/11 Mumbai attacks may have been killed in custody. Here's the text from our report. (see the link for the full post):
The lone captured terrorist and alleged Pakistani citizen Ajmal Kassab is dead, sources tell PKKH. Whether he was killed in custody immediately after the Mumbai attacks or in recent days is yet to be confirmed.
On Monday 19th January, Kassab was remanded in police custody until February 2nd. It is important to note that he was not brought to court on this occasion.
Earlier, police in Mumbai had backed off plans to produce Kassab in court on Thursday December 11th for a routine hearing, citing security concerns.
Indian authorities have repeatedly denied media access to Ajmal Kassab and have turned down requests from the Pakistani authorities for a DNA sample for Kassab. This is consistent with the inability of the Indian authorities to provide any information (finger prints, DNA) of the other nine alleged perpetrators of the Mumbai Attacks.
Due to the nature of this information and the lack of verifiable sources, we are not able to confirm or dismiss the reports of Kassab's death at the moment. However, India's reluctance to allow the Pakistani authorities access to Kassab and refusal to carry out a joint investigation certainly raises questions about the authenticity of Indian claims.
Times of India links PKKH to – who else? – the ISI.
TOI: Pak's new stint: Kasab may be dead
Reports which security sources suspect to have been planted by Pakistani official agencies, Islamabad alleges that captured Mumbai terrorist Ajmal Amir Kassab is actually dead. Some media reports suggest "whether he was killed in custody immediately after the Mumbai attacks or in recent days is yet to be confirmed".
India, they said, has not provided any DNA samples of Kassab or the other nine terrorists, leading to the conclusion that India actually made him up. Times of India, January 31st. Link
Despite the denial by Indian authorities, PKKH understands through its sources that the lone gunman arrested in the wake of the Mumbai attacks and identified since as 'Amir Ajmal Kassab' has been dead for over two weeks.
The Mumbai Police had originally intended to announce his death this week - in a supposed 'shootout' at the Arthur road jail - pinning the blame on 'Pakistan-controlled gangsters' with links to Dawood Ibrahim.
By
DAN QAYYUM
Saturday, January 31, 2009.
This report was originally posted at Pakistankakhudafafiz website
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