New Delhi, Sept 12: Even before the completion of the trial, a Pakistani terrorist of Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HUJI) outfit, charged under Pota with eight others of plotting to kill President A P J Abdul Kalam and kidnap cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, today pleaded guilty before a Delhi Court. The accused Mohd Ashraf filed an application to plead guilty before Special Judge S N Dhingra stating that he was "misguided" by certain class of people and wanted to reform himself.

Praying for leniency, the militant through his advocate submitted he wants to correct his mistakes and has to look after his aged parents. The court will consider his plea on September 18.

Ashraf, who has been accused of being associated with underword don Aftab Ansari, who was deported from Dubai last year, was also charged with his accomplice for conspiring to carry out subversive activities in the country, including a plan to trigger an explosion at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

He was facing trial with five other Pakistani and Bangladesi militants associated with HUJI.
Besides Ashraf, the court on march five had framed charges against Tariq Mohammad, Ashahaq Ahmed, Mohammad Amran, Abdul Majid, Mufti Mohammad Asrar, Arshad Khan, Ghulam Mohammad Dar and Ghulam Qadar Bhatt under various sections of Pota, IPC and Arms Act.

However, the court had not framed charges against two other accused, Aftab Ansari, facing trial in the American Centre attack in Kolkata and Mohammad Jalalludin who has been declared proclaimed offender.

Bureau Report