I want a lawyer: Kasab

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested in the November 26 terror attacks, today said that he needed a lawyer and was agreeable to a court-appointed government defence lawyer representing him.

Kasab appeared before special judge M L Tahiliyani via video conferencing from the Arthur Road jail where he is currently lodged in a high security cell.

Dressed in a grey T-shirt, a bearded Kasab, when asked by the court if he wanted a lawyer for the trial, said, "If there will be a trial then I will need a lawyer."

Asked by the judge if he had any preference, he said, "Could you just call the lawyer, who appeared on my behalf on November 27?"

The court informed him that he had no lawyer representing him during his first and only court appearance and asked him if he is agreeable to a government-appointed lawyer.

"Theek hai (all right)," Kasab said, speaking in Hindi during the court appearance.

Judge Tahiliyani said he will inform jail authorities of his next court appearance and it will be conveyed to him. After thanking the judge, Kasab was taken back to his cell.

Earlier, Kasab told the court that he was a resident of Faridkot in the Punjab area of Pakistan and had received a copy of the charge-sheet.

Asked if he had a lawyer, Kasab said, "As of now I don't have one."

When asked by the judge if he knew him (Judge Tahiliyani), Kasab replied in English, "I don't."

Subsequently, Judge Tahiliyani told him, "I am the judge, who will conduct the trial in your case." Hearing this Kasab smiled and replied, "Namaste".

The media, for the first time, was permitted today to be present during the video conferencing with Kasab in the sessions court complex in south Mumbai.

The court will give its order on the prosecution's plea to postpone the trial to April 13 later in the day.

The prosecution had sought the trial be postponed in order to ready the special high security court in Arthur Road jail.

Two alleged Indian Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, will also face trial in the case and were produced before the court through video conferencing today.

Over 160 persons were killed in the November 26 terror strikes. Nine terrorists, who were involved in the attacks were killed in a standoff with security forces.