An Indian court today found a Pakistani man guilty on 86 charges from the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed scores, including waging war on India and murder, in a trial that has strained ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the attacks that killed 166 people, will be sentenced on Tuesday and could face the gallows. He is the first to be convicted over the November 2008 attacks
"It was not a simple act of murder. It was war," judge M.L. Tahiliyani said in a summary of the 1,522 page judgment. "This type of preparation is not made by ordinary criminals. This type of preparation is made by those waging war."
India accuses Pakistan-based militants of organising the attacks, saying Islamabad is failing to act against those who organised the raids. Pakistan denies involvement and says it is prosecuting seven suspected militants for their role.
"The judgement itself is a message to Pakistan that they should not export terrorism to India," Indian home minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told reporters after the judgement.
New Delhi broke off peace talks after the attacks, saying Islamabad must first act against militants operating from its soil, including Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), of which Kasab is accused of being a member.
The verdict against Kasab came days after the prime ministers of India and Pakistan held talks in Bhutan and asked officials to take steps to normalise relations, signalling a thaw in ties that analysts say should not be affected by today's verdict.
One risk to normalising relations would be another major militant attack in India and the ensuing political pressure that could force the Indian government to break off dialogue again.
The court acquitted two Indian nationals accused of being LeT members and of conducting reconnaissance in Mumbai. India has charged 38 people in connection with the attacks, most of them living in Pakistan.
Reuters