Author: CNN-IBN
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: August 10, 2012
URL: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/2611-kasab-confronted-with-jundal-identifies-him/280597-3-237.html

Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab and key 26/11 handler and Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal were on Thursday questioned together by the police at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

The terrorists were questioned inside Kasab's high-security prison.

According to the police, Kasab identified Jundal as on of the conspirators of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

This comes three days after the Mumbai Crime Branch on Monday sought permission from the Maharashtra government to question Kasab with regard to Jundal and his confessions.

Jundal had earlier allegedly told interrogators that he was Kasab's handler during the attack, and before that, he had taught Kasab and other attackers Hindi, and apprised them of the topography of targets.

Mumbai Crime branch sources said late on Thursday evening that Kasab was brought face to face with Jundal at the high-security Arthur Road Jail and identified the latter as one of the main conspirators.

Crime Branch sources said Kasab and Jundal were interrogated together for at least one and half hours.

The mayhem unleashed by Kasab and nine others in Mumbai left 166 dead and many injured.

The Crime Branch, which got the custody of Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, on July 21 this year, brought him face to face with Kasab after a go-ahead from Maharashtra government today. Kasab is lodged in the jail since 2008.

Jundal, native of Beed district of Maharashtra, was arrested in the 26/11 case by Mumbai Police after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been apprehended in another case after being deported from Saudi Arabia in June this year.

Though Kasab's claimed admission of Jundal's role will strengthen India's case that attacks were planned in Pakistan, it remains to be seen if the neighbouring country would give enough weightage while prosecuting the conspirators arrested there.

Pakistan has already sought permission for a second visit by a judicial commission to India, with a court in that country saying the proceedings of the previous visit by the panel could not be used as evidence as it was not allowed to cross-examine Indian witnesses.