Mumbai, July 25: A special court on Friday allowed examination of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials in the 26/11 terror attacks trial, but, ordered that their names and addresses be kept secret as there was a threat to their lives.
“I am satisfied that their identities should be kept secret as they fear danger to their lives,” Judge M.L. Tahaliyani said and prohibited media from publishing their names and addresses.
Contravention of this order would attract three years jail sentence and fine, the judge ruled.
Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam informed the court that he would provide by July 29 a schedule to examine FBI personnel who will appear as witnesses.
Mr. Nikam said FBI has collected clinching evidence, which prosecution wanted to rely upon. He said it was found during investigation that accused Ajmal Kasab and slain terrorists had interacted with some wanted accused through Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) situated at New Jersey in the U.S.
The investigating agency therefore applied for letter of Rogatory before a Magistrate for collecting evidence. In pursuance of this letter, FBI collected clinching evidence which prosecution would rely upon, he said.
Mr. Nikam said it was necessary to examine FBI personnel to establish why and how Mumbai terror attacks were planned and executed, how they progressed and ended with the killing of 166 innocent persons, including foreign nationals.
–PTI