MUMBAI, May 6 – An Indian judge on Thursday sentenced to death the sole surviving gunman involved in the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks, Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab.
Judge M.L. Tahaliyani imposed the death penalty against the 22-year-old for four different crimes — murder, waging war against India, as well as conspiracy and terrorism offences.
"He should be hanged by the neck until he is dead," the judge said. "I don\’t find any case for a lesser punishment than death in the case of waging war against India, murder and terrorist acts."
Kasab, dressed in a traditional white tunic, sat with his head in his hands staring at the floor of the dock as the judge passed sentence, three days after the Pakistani was found guilty over the attacks that left 166 people dead.
Tahaliyani said the punishment had to be in proportion to the crime and the death penalty was required to maintain public faith in the justice system.
He said the evidence showed "previous, meticulous and systematic planning" of the atrocity which traumatised the nation and led India to scrap peace talks with its rival Pakistan.
"Brutality was writ large," he added, and the offences were "of exceptional depravity."
Before announcing the death penalty, the judge asked Kasab if he had anything to say. Kasab said nothing and gave a dismissive gesture with his hands.
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