26/11 probe: Lakhvi will not give voice sample, says his Pak lawyer

[Zarvan]

Pakistani security personnel escort Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi (C), alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as he leaves the court after a hearing in Islamabad in January. (AFP Files)


India might not get 26/11 mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s voice sample despite Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif agreeing to cooperate on terror. One day after the agreement in Ufa, Lakhvi’s lawyer told HT his client will not be giving his voice sample and that it cannot be forced out of him.


“My client has refused in the past and will refuse again,” Rizwan Abbasi said over phone from Islamabad on Saturday.

“According to our law, the accused have to give their consent," he added.

A joint media statement released after an hour-long meeting between Modi and Sharif in Russia on Friday outlined that the two sides had decided to discuss ways and means to expedite the Mumbai case trial, including additional information like providing voice samples.

India is of the firm view that it can nail Lakhvi with a voice sample.

A Pakistani anti-terror court granted bail to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist in December for “lack of evidence”, six years after his arrest.

But, graphic accounts of his exact role were detailed not only by 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab but also Pakistani-American conspirator David Coleman Headley and India-born Abu Jundal, who was present in a Karachi control room with Lakhvi as the two were part of a team that directed 10 terrorists through the three days Mumbai was under siege.

The court had rejected the prosecution’s plea for voice samples saying the country’s laws required the accused’s permission and had also thrown out a CD containing conversations between the handlers and the terrorists.

“The judge had asked how the CD established that the voices on the terror tapes indeed belonged to the terrorists and whether anyone had corroborated the voices,” said an officer privy to the in-camera proceedings.

Abbasi also told HT he would question any future move by the prosecution to seek voice samples.

“What is the legal worth of evidence that hasn’t been produced in seven years?” he argued. “This only strengthens our contention that evidence against Lakhvi is weak.”

The only way India may get Lakhvi’s voice sample is if Pakistan amends its laws and that option will be explored when the national security advisers of the two countries meet, officials said.

The Ufa joint statement had also said that both sides had agreed to “a meeting in New Delhi between the two NSAs to discuss all issues connected to terrorism”.

“Getting Pakistan to change its law is a long shot considering it has taken no steps in seven years to act against the Jamaat-ud-Dawaah (the LeT’s political arm) despite it being banned by the United Nations soon after the Mumbai attacks,” an Indian official said.
26/11 probe: Lakhvi will not give voice sample, says his Pak lawyer

 

[airmarshal]

**** off Nawaz Sharif. You can appease Modi for your business interest and to undermine Pakistan Army. But your promise to Modi on Mumbai is not going any further.

There isnt enough evidence against Lakhvi. India only wants to keep pressure on Pakistan. Its Pakistan led by a lame PM which cant engage India in terms that Indians will understand and follow.

 

[nForce]

If there is any recording of him talking in public, I think even that can be used. Can someone confirm ?

 

[illusion8]

What can Pakistan's kangaroo court do? it cannot force it out of a terror suspect - right @FaujHistorian ?

If there is any recording of him talking in public, I think even that can be used. Can someone confirm ?

It needs to be submitted for forensic analysis, and it needs to be authentic - certified to be admissible in court. Any one can lip-sync a video or speech caught on film - that's what any defense lawyer will contest.

 

[chhota bheem]

**** off Nawaz Sharif. You can appease Modi for your business interest and to undermine Pakistan Army. But your promise to Modi on Mumbai is not going any further.

There isnt enough evidence against Lakhvi. India only wants to keep pressure on Pakistan. Its Pakistan led by a lame PM which cant engage India in terms that Indians will understand and follow.

It dsnt have to be to appease anyone,Pakistan can do that for its own good,he is a know terrorist all over the world.

Not giving samples after agreeing will have a very bad impact on the image of PAKISTAN all over the world.

 

[bloo]

Chori pakri gayi.

 

[Hindustani78]

Don't draw premature conclusions on Pak stand on Lakhvi: Abdul Basit | Zee News


New Delhi: Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Sunday cautioned against drawing "premature conclusions" on the statement by its prosecutor that the government will not file a fresh petition seeking voice sample of LeT operations commander and Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur- Rehman Lakhvi.

Basit said this while stressing that the two sides have not yet met to discuss the ways and means to expedite the Mumbai attack trial in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi as agreed in the joint statement issued on Friday after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in the Russian city of Ufa.

"I would once again recommend to you to read the joint statement which clearly says that both sides will discuss ways and means to expedite the trial.

Both the states have not met to to discuss the ways and means. So let us wait and not draw premature conclusions," Basit said when asked by reporters about Pakistan's U-turn on the issue of providing voice sample of Lakhvi after Sharif gave a commitment in this regard to Modi.

Basit was speaking at an Iftar reception hosted by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here.

"The issue of obtaining voice sample of Lakhvi has been over. We had filed an application in the trial court in 2011, seeking voice sample of Lakhvi but the judge (Malik Akram Awan) had dismissed it on the ground that no such law exists that allows obtaining of voice sample of an accused," Pakistan Prosecution team's chief Chaudhry Azhar told PTI in Lahore.

"The government will not file a fresh petition in the trial court requesting for obtaining voice sample of Lakhvi," he added.

Congress leader Manish Tewari took a dig at the Modi government over the statement by the Pakistan prosecution.

"The entire basis of the Indo-Pakistan joint statement has been demolished even before the ink has dried on it. These statements are nothing but platitude," he said, and asked what the Government of India is going to do now on the issue of getting Lakhvi's voice sample.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

We should wait for more definitive official response from Pak: Uday Bhaskar | Zee News
Last Updated: Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 19:52
New Delhi: Commodore (retd.) C Uday Bhaskar on Sunday said that the judicial system in Pakistan has allowed many loopholes to those who have been engaged in terrorism related charges.

He, however, said that India should wait for more definitive official response from Pakistan following the comment of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi`s lawyer that his client won`t give voice samples in the 26/11 Mumbai attack probe.

"I think this kind of response from Lakhvi`s Lawyer was more or less predictable, means that the Pakistani judicial system has in a way allowed many loopholes to those who have been accused of various terrorism related charges. And my sense is that we have to wait for more definitive official response from Pakistan," he told ANI.

"This is not the end of the story; this is what Lakhvi`s lawyer is saying. I think we should wait for the establishment of Pakistan to convey whatever are the steps it proposes to take in keeping with spirit of what Prime Minister Nawaz sharif and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussed in Ufa," he added.

A joint media statement released after the between Prime Minister Modi and his Pakistani counterpart in Russia on Friday outlined that both sides had decided to expedite the 26/11 Mumbai attacks trial, including additional information like providing voice samples.

The joint statement also said that both sides had agreed to hold a meeting in New Delhi between the two NSAs to discuss all issues connected to terrorism.

ANI

 

[Mirza Jatt]

Lol... voice sample or no sample.. simple denial of providing voice sample says enough about the guy being the culprit and the whole world is watching. Pakistan is already shamed.

I hope pakistan atleast collects the voice sample and help the case proceed .. this way it can atleast show that it is walking the talk that it really wants to act against terror. The more you continue to help terrorists, the more you will bleed yourself just the way you have suffered in the past.

 

[Bratva]

Lol... voice sample or no sample.. simple denial of providing voice sample says enough about the guy being the culprit and the whole world is watching. Pakistan is already shamed.

I hope pakistan atleast collects the voice sample and help the case proceed .. this way it can atleast show that it is walking the talk that it really wants to act against terror. The more you continue to help terrorists, the more you will bleed yourself just the way you have suffered in the past.

We can spin your logic in another way. Denying access to Pakistani judicial officials to Ajmal kasab proves he was amar singh.

How many times we have to discuss this thing. You killed the case when you didn't grant access to Ajmal kasab, then your weak circumstantial evidences doesn't really tie Lakhvi to mumbai crime scene.

 

[kadamba-warrior]

**** off Nawaz Sharif. You can appease Modi for your business interest and to undermine Pakistan Army. But your promise to Modi on Mumbai is not going any further.

There isnt enough evidence against Lakhvi. India only wants to keep pressure on Pakistan. Its Pakistan led by a lame PM which cant engage India in terms that Indians will understand and follow.

Cooperating in prosecution of an UN designated terrorist by providing his voice samples, will undermine Pakistan Army?

On topic:
It is very clear that Pakistan is trying to make terror prosecutions as bargaining chip for future negotiations with India on Kashmir!

India should call this bluff, call off all bilateral dialogues on terror, and start a comprehensive international campaign to name and shame Pakistan's duplicity using terror as a state mechanism!

 

[jaatram]

We can spin your logic in another way. Denying access to Pakistani judicial officials to Ajmal kasab proves he was amar singh.

How many times we have to discuss this thing. You killed the case when you didn't grant access to Ajmal kasab, then your weak circumstantial evidences doesn't really tie Lakhvi to mumbai crime scene.

Pakistani government accepted that Ajmal Kasab was a Pakistani. You can spin anything the way you want no one cares for it.

 

[Mirza Jatt]

We can spin your logic in another way. Denying access to Pakistani judicial officials to Ajmal kasab proves he was amar singh.

How many times we have to discuss this thing. You killed the case when you didn't grant access to Ajmal kasab, then your weak circumstantial evidences doesn't really tie Lakhvi to mumbai crime scene.

Exactly.. how many times e have to discuss the same thing. Amar Singh story was proven BS the day the pakistani media themselves prove that he was a Pakistani. You can still check the videos on youtube.
Moreover in Lakhvi's case India has been persistent with its claim in the last 7 years. If Pakistan had the guts it could have followed the Amar Singh story and not give up. Even your establishment knows what can go wrong if the voice samples are given.

 

[Hindustani78]

We can spin your logic in another way. Denying access to Pakistani judicial officials to Ajmal kasab proves he was amar singh.

How many times we have to discuss this thing. You killed the case when you didn't grant access to Ajmal kasab, then your weak circumstantial evidences doesn't really tie Lakhvi to mumbai crime scene.

The 69-page dossier of evidence linking Pakistan to the Mumbai terror attacks of Nov 26-28, 2008, was handed to Pakistan by the Indian government Jan 5, 2009.

July 11, 2015
India to give fresh 26/11 attack dossier to Pakistan : India, News - India Today

 

[JanjaWeed]

Hahaha...to think that Pak will help with all its honesty in bringing 26/11 culprits into books is nothing but laughable. That joint statement in Russia means absolutely nothing like all the other joint statements & numerous promises of the past.
Fact of the matter is...people like Zaki Ur Rehman Lakhvi are state protected snakes in Pakistan's backyard meant to bite its neighbours. These snakes will always remain under Pakistan's protection till the day they keep doing their job as prescribed by their handlers.