Home > News > PTI

India's love for Noor melts terrorist

September 19, 2003 01:46 IST

The love Indians showered on baby Noor did not go waste.

Moved by the same, a terrorist trained by Pakistan's Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami on Thursday confessed his guilt in a Delhi court and expressed the desire to lead a new life -- one away from the path of terror.

Also Read


They saved Noor But lost Babbar

Noor Fatima stable

Noor Fatima discharged


"I was moved by the gesture shown by Indians towards Noor, who had come to Bangalore for a heart surgery," Mohammed Ashraf alias Mohammed Shakeel told Additional Sessions Judge S N Dhingra.

Ashraf had been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and India Penal Code for conspiring to kill President A P J Abdul Kalam and abducting cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.

A resident of Layya village in Pakistan's Punjab province, Ashraf told the court he wanted to reciprocate the gesture shown by the Indians and spread the message of goodwill among his countrymen.

Making his confessional statement, the terrorist, whose designs -- police claimed -- included a plan to trigger blasts at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, said he had taken to terror in return for money promised by his mentors.

He said that in Pakistan, one Mehboob and Mufti Hifayatullah had promised him money if he joined their ranks.

"I got trapped in their scheme of things and got misguided," Ashraf said, adding, he entered India through the Bangladesh border.

He prayed the court to have mercy on him and adopt a lenient view.

Following the admission, the court convicted him of the charges and set September 29 for hearing the arguments on sentence.


Article Tools

Email this Article

Printer-Friendly Format

Letter to the Editor




Related Stories


US charities linked to terrorism

Jihadi admits Pak training

'US-Pak ties under strain'



People Who Read This Also Read


'Pak flag hoisted after Godhra'

Bush proposes $200mn for Pak

Pakistan seeks US military help






More reports from Pakistan

© Copyright 2003 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.










Copyright © 2003 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved.