Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: A Special Court conducting the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case Friday allowed summons to be issued to two US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials and three US nationals to depose in the trial.
"I am satisfied that their identities should be kept
secret as they fear danger to their lives," Judge M L
Tahaliyani said and prohibited media from publishing their
names and addresses.
Contravention of this order would attract three years
jail sentence and fine, the judge ruled.
Tahilyani gave his ruling on an application by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam seeking the court's permission to summon the FBI officials who had assisted the Mumbai Police in the terror attacks probe.
Nikam informed the court that he would
provide by July 29 a schedule to examine FBI personnel who
will appear as witnesses.
Nikam had argued that the evidence of the FBI officials could reveal the conspiracy behind the attacks and prove crucial in nailing Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist who along with nine accomplices had created mayhem in Mumbai.
He said it was found during
investigation that accused Ajmal Kasab and slain terrorists
had interacted with some wanted accused through Voice over
Internet Protocol (VOIP) situated at New Jersey in USA.
The investigating agency therefore applied for letter of
Rogatory before a Magistrate for collecting evidence. In
pursuance of this letter, FBI collected clinching evidence
which prosecution would rely upon, he said.
It may be recalled that the FBI team, which included some technical experts, had collaborated closely with the Mumbai Police in investigating the terror attacks case and had also interrogated Kasab early this year.
The decision to summon the FBI officials came a day after Tahilyani accepted on record Kasab's confession of Monday and also ruled that the trial would continue as usual.
First Published: Friday, July 24, 2009, 20:57