Sarkozy’s office denies heiress donation report

July 6 (Reuters) – President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office denied on Tuesday a media report that he had received a 150,000 euro ($201,300) cash donation from France’s richest woman for his 2007 presidential election campaign.

A former accountant who worked for Liliane Bettencourt, the main shareholder in cosmetics giant L’Oreal, was quoted on Tuesday as saying she gave Labour Minister Eric Woerth the donation in cash.

An official in Sarkozy’s office, asked if the president had received a cash payment, said: “That’s totally false.”

Asked whether Woerth, treasurer of Sarkozy’s campaign in 2007, had received such a donation, the official said: “That seems unfounded but you must check with the treasurer of the campaign.”

News website Mediapart, which last month reported secret recordings of telephone conversations between Bettencourt and her wealth manager, said it had exclusively interviewed a former bookkeeper who said the billionairess and her late husband had regularly given cash donations to conservative politicians.

“She cites two names, Eric Woerth, the current labour minister, who has long been treasurer of the UMP party, and she recounts how in March 2007 she gave him cash — so much that she had to go and fetch some in Switzerland — altogether 150,000 euros, and she gave it to him for Nicolas Sarkozy,” Mediapart editor Edwy Plenel told France Inter radio.

Woerth, whose wife worked for Bettencourt’s wealth manager until she resigned last month, has denied any wrongdoing and rejected any conflict of interest between his dual roles as treasurer of the ruling party and budget minister until March.

A spokesman for Woerth was not immediately available for comment.

Plenel did not disclose the name of the former accountant. The story on Mediapart’s homepage identified her only as Claire T.

A public prosecutor who reported suspicions of tax evasion by Bettencourt to the budget ministry last year planned to open an investigation into the suspected laundering of evasion proceeds, his office said on Monday.

(reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Thierry Leveque, writing by Paul Taylor)

Crime Branch wants custody of Mulund blast accused extended

Mumbai, May 29 — The Mumbai police’s crime branch have told the special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court, on Friday, that they further wanted to investigate Wazahul Tamal Khan alias Babubhai alias Murtuza Choudhay, arrested for his alleged role in the 2003 Mulund train bomb blast. “We told the court that we want to find Wazahul’s exact role in the case”, said Rohini Salian, special public prosecutor. Salian told the court that the crime branch also wants to know about the conspiracy hatched by him “The court granted him police custody till June 10″, added Salian. Khan was arrested, on May 10, from Kurla by Anti-Terrorism Squad and a 7.5 mm pistol and three cartridges were recovered from him. Khan was in the custody of the ATS till May 20 as a case against him under Arms Act for possession of arms was registered against him.

Khan is the seventeenth arrest in the Mulund blast. 16 people have been chargesheeted till now.

Yet again, Pak court acquits men accused of terror attacks for lack of evidence

London, May 14 (ANI): In a decision that raises serious questions over the Pakistan government’s ability to investigate and solve cases concerning major terror attacks, a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court has acquitted nine men, who were accused of plotting two deadly attacks, including the one in which a top army official was killed.

All the nine men, who were charged with planning the February 2008 terror attack in which 16 people, including Lieutenant General Mushtaq Baig, were killed and dozens wounded, were set free by the court, which said there was not enough evidence against them.

“Due to lack of evidence, no charges can be proved against the accused,” BBC quoted judge Malik Akran Awan, as saying.

However, the court said the men would be held in “preventative custody” at home, saying they were still under investigation.

Commenting on the judgement, public prosecutor Bilal Ahmed claimed that ‘several witnesses and lots of evidence’ were produced in the court concerning the case, but it announced the judgement in favour of the accused persons.

The court’s verdict came just days after an anti-terrorism court acquitted four people involved in the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in which about 60 people, including five foreigners were killed and over a hundred injured, over lack of evidence. (ANI)

Mumbai Special Court to pronounce Kasab sentence today

Mumbai, May 6 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court, which conducted the trial of 26/11 terror strikes, is all set to announce the quantum of punishment on Thursday.

The entire country is eagerly looking to Judge M L Tahiliyani that whether he will sentence death or life for lone surviving Pakistani terrorist of that brutal attack Ajmal Amir Kasab.

On Tuesday, the court heard the arguments on from both prosecution and defence sides.

While the prosecution wants death sentence for Kasab, his lawyer has appealed for leniency on the grounds that he”s just 22 years old.

Kasab has turned into India”s one of the costliest prisoner. Till now, the Government has spent over 35 crore rupees for his safety.

If sentenced to death, Kasab will be the 52nd person on death row in India.

On Tuesday, the public prosecutor, Ujjwal Nikam, attacked Kasab for two hours, describing him as “worse than a wild beast… Kasab is a killing machine… and the orders for this machine came from Pakistan.”

Kasab kept his head bowed throughout Nikam”s arguments.

On Monday, Kasab was found guilty on more than 80 of the 86 charges brought against him for planning and executing the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

Nikam has laid out eight arguments on why Kasab deserves to be hanged, among them, that the 26/11 attacks was meticulously planned and that policemen and defenceless civilians were “mercilessly butchered.”

He also argued that Kasab wanted to inspire others to take part in fidayeen or suicide attacks.

As an example of why Kasab should get the death penalty, Nikam said Kasab had expressed disappointment that he landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) after rush hour on 26/11/2008.

Kasab had anticipated a busier station, based on CDs he had been shown of CST before the attack, Nikam said.

He also said that in his confession to the Mumbai police, Kasab said that he was upset that he could not kill more people at the station. At CST, Kasab killed close to 60 people in an hour with his partner, Abu Ismail.

Meanwhile Kasab”s lawyer, K P Pawar, has pleaded with the court to consider a life sentence instead.

Kasab was only 21 when he participated in the attack against Mumbai, and he acted under the influence of terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), he said.

Even if judge Tahaliyani decides on the death penalty, it will not be implemented immediately.

Kasab has the option of appealing to higher courts, and can also file a mercy petition for the consideration of the President. (ANI)

Mumbai attack victims demand capital punishment for Kasab

Kakra Dubawal (Uttar Pradesh), May 5 (ANI): Family members of Phool Chand, the Mumbai taxi driver who was shot dead by the 26/11 attackers after they hired his cab to reach their targets, have said Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist must be given capital punishment.

Phool Chand”s vehicle was commandeered by the attackers after they entered Mumbai through the Arabian Sea on reaching their destination, they shot him dead.

“I would be satisfied only when the man who has killed my husband would be hanged,” said Sanju Devi, Phool Chand”s widow.

“We are satisfied to a certain extent, but we will be completely satisfied only when he will be given a death sentence and we will hear that he is dead,” said Subhash Prajapati, his brother.

Mumbai Special Court has fixed May 6 as the day to announce the quantum of punishment on Kasab.

Earlier, Mumbai Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had formally demanded the death penalty for Kasab. Nikam said that Kasab wanted to inspire others to take part in fidayeen or suicide attacks.

He also called Kasab a killing machine manufactured in Pakistan.

On Monday, it pronounced a verdict in a courtroom at the Arthur Road Jail here. Judge M L Tahiliyani declared Kasab guilty of all 86 charges filed against him.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.
The court also said the DNA test conducted on the seven dead terrorists matched prints collected from the boat ”Kuber”.

It said the evidence proved that Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte had died of a bullet fired by terrorist Abu Ismail, while it was not established who killed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, commenced on May 8, 2009.
Kasab along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

Kasab”s quantum of punishment to be decided on May 6

Mumbai, May 4 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court on Tuesday fixed May 6 as the date to announce the quantum of punishment to Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Earlier, Mumbai Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam formally demanded the death penalty for Kasab, who was found guilty of waging war against India.

Nikam said that Kasab wanted to inspire others to take part in fidayeen or suicide attacks.

He also called Kasab a killing machine manufactured in Pakistan.

The court-appointed defence lawyer for Kasab, K P Pawar, is now expected to seek leniency for his client.

On Monday, it pronounced a verdict in a courtroom at the Arthur Road Jail here. Judge M L Tahiliyani declared Kasab guilty of all 86 charges filed against him.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.

Judge Tahiliyani said the way the ten terrorists countered the elite National Security Guards (NSG) clearly established that they were trained to fight a war.

Though no direct evidences were mentioned against Lashkar-e Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Zakir -ur -Rehman, the court found them guilty based on Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also accepted Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also said the DNA test conducted on the seven dead terrorists matched prints collected from the boat ”Kuber”.

It said the evidence proved that Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte had died of a bullet fired by terrorist Abu Ismail, while it was not established who killed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, commenced on May 8, 2009.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days. Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire on them.

Nikam submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations. He had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

He had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST Railway Station, the Times of India building, and the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

Kasab is a native of Faridkot, in Pakistan”s Punjab Province.

He along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

Mumbai prosecutor Nikam demands death sentence for Kasab

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Mumbai Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Tuesday formally demanded the death penalty for the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, who was found guilty of waging war against India.

Nikam said that Kasab wanted to inspire others to take part in fidayeen or suicide attacks.

He also called Kasab a killing machine manufactured in Pakistan.

The court-appointed defence lawyer for Kasab, K P Pawar, is now expected to seek leniency for his client.

On Monday, it pronounced a verdict in a courtroom at the Arthur Road Jail here. Judge M L Tahiliyani declared Kasab guilty of all 86 charges filed against him.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.

Judge Tahiliyani said the way the ten terrorists countered the elite National Security Guards (NSG) clearly established that they were trained to fight a war.

Though no direct evidences were mentioned against Lashkar-e Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Zakir -ur -Rehman, the court found them guilty based on Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also accepted Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also said the DNA test conducted on the seven dead terrorists matched prints collected from the boat ”Kuber”.

It said the evidence proved that Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte had died of a bullet fired by terrorist Abu Ismail, while it was not established who killed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, commenced on May 8, 2009.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days. Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire on them.

Nikam submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations. He had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

He had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST Railway Station, the Times of India building, and the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

Kasab is a native of Faridkot, in Pakistan”s Punjab Province.

He along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

Malaysian man jailed for having threesome with minor

Kuala Lumpur, May 4 (ANI): A Malaysian man has been sentenced to seven months jail for involving a girl under the age of 16 in a threesome with him and his fiancee.

Kwek Yui Lam, 22, admitted to two counts of having sex with the 14-year-old girl last December, and had a third similar charge taken into consideration, reports the Star Online.

The victim’s mother had rented the flat for her to live in since October as the girl could not get along with her mother’s new family, and Kwek and his fiancee moved in from December 1.

According to Assistant Public Prosecutor Olivine Lin, one night, Kwek asked the victim if she wanted to play “3P”, slang for threesome, and the victim agreed.

Kwek had sex with his fiancee, followed by the victim, and then with the fiancee again.

But after the incident, the fiancee told him not to have sex with the girl again as she regretted “sharing” him with someone else.

But Kwek had sex with the victim when they were alone at home on December 24.

He could have been jailed for up to five years and fined up to RM24,000 on each charge. (ANI)

26/11 case: Nikam says he will challenge acquittal of co-accused

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI):Mumbai’s Chief Public Prosecutor, Ujjwal Nikam who argued the mammoth 26/11 case for over 271 working days, on Monday gave a mixed reaction to the Special Court’s verdict on lone surviving Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab.

On Monday, a Mumbai special court delivered 1,522 page verdict convicting Kasab on all 86 charges, including waging war against India.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

The court said the evidence against the two was weak both in “quality as well as quantity.”

Nikam said he would appeal against the acquittal of Ansari and Ahmed.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

Nikam said, that while he is satisfied with the larger portion of the judgement, he was not happy with the acquittal of the co-accused.

He claimed that the prosecution has presented enough and credible evidences against these two.

“We have presented a good case and many credible evidences against Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed and Ansari himself admitted to the crime,” Nikam said.

We will certainly appeal against the judgement,” he added.

He also informed that many maps were recovered from Ansari’s possession during investigation and were presented before the court.

Nikam said on the basis of bullets found in Kamte’s body it was established that it was fired from Abu Ismail’s Ak 47 assault rifle.

But in case of Karkare and Salaskar, it could not be identified, he added.

Nikam said, the court appreciated the work of photojournalists and the railway announcer.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

At the CST station on the 26/11 night the announcer saved many lives.

While, arguing the case Nikam submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations and filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire on them.

Nikam had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

In his verdict Judge Tahiliyani described the 26/11 attacks as clear act of war.

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.

Judge Tahiliyani said the way the ten terrorists countered the elite National Security Guards (NSG) it clearly established that they were trained to fight a war.

Though no direct evidences were mentioned against Lashkar-e Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Zakir –ur –Rehman, the court found them guilty based on Kasab’s confessional statement.

The prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST Railway Station, the Times of India building, and the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels.(ANI)

26/11 case: Court begins delivering verdict

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court Judge M L Tahiliyan started delivering the verdict of the trial of lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 terror attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, here on Monday.

The verdict is expected to come out in full some time from now.

The trial was focused around Kasab, and two Indian co-accused–Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, had commenced on May 8, 2009 in a special court set up at the Arthur Road Jail.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire at them.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, had submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations.

Nikam had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

The witnesses included many survivors of the terror attacks, eyewitnesses, family members of the victims, police officials, several foreign nationals, Indian security officials.

For the first time in the Indian history, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials deposed before the court and gave technical evidence.

The FBI informed the court about the technical data it gathered –that how Kasab and others came from Pakistan using Global Positioning System (GPS) and that they made calls from their mobile phones through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to stay in touch with their handlers across the border. (ANI)

26/11 case: Court resumes proceedings

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court has commenced proceedings before delivering its verdict on lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 terror attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, here on Monday.

The trial was focused around Kasab, and two Indian co-accused–Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, had commenced on May 8, 2009 in a special court set up at the Arthur Road Jail.

Judge M L Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire at them.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, had submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations.

Nikam had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

The witnesses included many survivors of the terror attacks, eyewitnesses, family members of the victims, police officials, several foreign nationals, Indian security officials.

For the first time in the Indian history, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials deposed before the court and gave technical evidence.

The FBI informed the court about the technical data it gathered –that how Kasab and others came from Pakistan using Global Positioning System (GPS) and that they made calls from their mobile phones through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to stay in touch with their handlers across the border.

The verdict is expected to be delivered at around 2 p. m. (ANI)

26/11 terror attacks: Mumbai Court to pronounce verdict today

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI): A special court is all set to decide the fate of the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attack, Ajmal Ameer Kasab and two Indian conspirators–Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed on Monday.

Monday’s judgment will be pronounced seventeen months after the incident.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, had commenced on May 8, 2009 in a special court set up at the Arthur Road Jail.

Judge M L Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire at them.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, had submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations.

Nikam had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

He had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

For the first time in the Indian history, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials deposed before the court and gave technical evidence.

The FBI informed the court about the technical data it gathered –that how Kasab and others came from Pakistan using Global Positioning System (GPS) and that they made calls from their mobile phones through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to stay in touch with their handlers across the border.

Prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST railway station, Times of India building, and Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

Kasab is a native of Faridkot, in Pakistan’s Punjab Province.

He along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

Dutch diocese reports priest for alleged sex abuse

The Catholic diocese of Rotterdam reported a Dutch priest to the police on Friday for alleged sexual abuse and suspended him from duty as the Church sought to counter widening scandals about its earlier secrecy.

This rare step came four days after the Vatican published an online guide for handling sex abuse charges against priests that made clear bishops must report suspected crimes to the police.

The unnamed priest was the fourth cleric to be suspended since the Dutch Church asked an independent commission in March to look into reports of alleged sexual abuse by priests after an increasing number of victims came forward.

Just how much of a turnaround this represented was made clear on Thursday when a French website posted a confidential 2001 letter from a senior Vatican cardinal congratulating a French bishop for not denouncing a self-confessed predator priest.

The diocese said it had probed the priest after hearing in July 2009 of sexual abuse and financial fraud he was said to have committed in Negombo, Sri Lanka while doing charity work.

“Information was obtained, several people were spoken with and attempts made to confirm the allegations, but thus far with insufficient result to prove the allegations,” it said.

After consulting the public prosecutor, it lodged a police report against the priest and barred him from active ministry.

PRIEST INVESTIGATED IN 1995

The Catholic Church in Europe has been rocked by a widening scandal over clerical sex abuse of minors which began with two damning reports in Ireland and spread to allegations of similar crimes in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland.

Victims’ advocates and media in the United States have dug up documents showing the Church there put protecting its image over helping victims in cases dating back several decades.

Pope Benedict has said the Church must do penance for its since and urged Vatican visitors on Friday to pray for it.

In the Netherlands, Rotterdam Bishop Adrianus van Luyn has admitted he knew about allegations of sexual abuse by priests in his Salesian order when he was its national head in the 1970s but did not report them to police.

The Rotterdam diocese said it was alerted in 1995 to the lifestyle of the priest, but stressed the issue then was not abuse but whether he upheld his vow of celibacy. Discussions with him produced no reason to withdraw him from pastoral work.

A report by Radio Netherlands Worldwide and daily NRC Handelsbad said the priest was disciplined by Van Luyn in the 1990s for having gay relationships while working as a pastor in the Dutch city of Dordrecht.

Despite this, Van Luyn, the current head of the Dutch Catholic Bishop’s Conference, still promoted the priest, the reports said. The Rotterdam diocese declined comment on this.

Just over a quarter of the 16 million Dutch are registered as Catholic, mainly in the south. Most alleged abuse in the Netherlands has come from people who attended Catholic boarding schools up to 50 years ago.

Earlier this week, the group Wij Blijven Katholiek (We’re Staying Catholic) handed a letter to the bishops conference with more than 1,000 signatures saying they were concerned about the scandal, but were still committed to staying in the Church.

(Editing by Tom Heneghan and Michael Roddy)

Court verdict on Kasab on May 3

Mumbai, Mar 31 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court on Wednesday said it would announce the verdict on Ajmal Amir Kasab on May 3.

Over a year after the 26/11 attacks,case began in a special court here.

The trial of the lone Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab, and two Indians charged with taking part in the conspiracy concluded on Wednesday.

Special judge M L Tahaliyani would pronounce verdict on May 3.

The prosecution examined over 650 witnesses to prove their case that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out attacks by sending 10 terrorists from Karachi.

The court also examined four witnesses, including two from the elite National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, who led the teams in operations to fight the terrorists.

On February 26, 2008 police filed the chargesheet and the case was committed from magistrate”s court to a sessions court on March 9, 2009.

A separate court was established in high security Arthur Road Central Jail to hear the case.

On April 17, Kasab had pleaded that he was a juvenile, but the court rejected his claim after examining prosecution witnesses and experts and ruled that he was above 20 years.

Earlier this month, Special public prosecutor Ujawal Nikam opened arguments and said there was evidence to suggest that the 26/11 attack was a state sponsored terrorism by Pakistan.(ANI)

Kasab”s trial to conclude in Mumbai special court

Mumbai, Mar 31 (ANI): The trial of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is likely to come to an end in the special court on Wednesday.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said Judge M L Tahaliyani might announce the date for the verdict after hearing the arguments by both prosecution and the defence.

Nikam had on March 9, in his arguments in the high-security court at the Central Prison here said, “By firing at people indiscriminately in Mumbai, Kasab and other conspirators wanted to destabilise the government and break the political and economic order of the country.”

The acts of Ajmal Kasab and other accused in the 26/11 terror siege amounted to “waging war against India” which is punishable by death penalty or life imprisonment, the prosecution argued in a trial court on March 10.

Earlier on January 12, Kasab refused to accept his role in the attacks and said in the court that he was not in the picture that was captured by the CCTV cameras, and that he was not carrying any weapon.

Kasab”s claimed that he was in police custody on 26/11 was also falsified by his photographs placed as evidence,
Around 891 questions have been asked till date, and several other questions are still to be asked in relation to the case.

The court questioned Kasab on the basis of DNA reports given by experts, which hold him responsible for the 26/11 attacks.

The ballistic experts have confirmed that the bullets fired from Kasab”s AK-47 rifle had caused fatal injuries on the bodies of the victim.

The DNA reports confirm that the samples found from Kuber fishing trawler (on which Kasab and the other nine terrorists had arrived from Pakistan) matches with Kasab”s DNA.

The prosecution had closed the case on December 16, after hearing around six hundred witnesses for a period of over seven months.

The Mumbai terror attacks took place on November 26, 2008, resulting in death of 174 people. (ANI)

New abuse charges against Catholic clergy in Germany

The Regensburg diocese in Pope Benedict’s native Bavaria confirmed new allegations of child sexual abuse against four priests and two nuns on Monday, in the latest cases damaging the Catholic Church’s image in Germany.

The diocese vowed to hand any concrete criminal evidence to the public prosecutor, even though the statute of limitations has expired. Those suspected of sexual abuse will be suspended pending the investigation, it added.

“The work over the past two weeks has shown us the grave injustice committed by clergy members. Our sympathy goes out to the victims of these crimes and their families. We deeply regret what the clergy and church workers did to these children and young people and ask for forgiveness,” the diocese said.

One of the four priests resides in Regensburg, and the dioceses of the three others have been informed of the charges, the Church statement said. The nuns suffer from dementia and are barely responsive, it added.

Most of the alleged incidents occurred in the 1970s, though one was in 1984, it said.

The new allegations follow a series of allegations of sexual and physical abuse at the cathedral choir in Regensburg, the Benedictine monastery school at Ettal and a Capucian school in Burghausen that have come to light in recent weeks.

More than 250 people are alleged to have been abused at church-run schools in recent decades, German media reports say.

NAZI COMPARISON BACKFIRES

Also in Regensburg, Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller came under fire for a sermon on Saturday that appeared to compare critical media coverage of the abuse scandal in Germany to Nazi propaganda campaigns against the church.

Speaking at the 100-year anniversary of the German Catholic Women’s League, Mueller said that over 1,000 local Catholics, mostly women, had demonstrated against Nazi injustice in 1941 and such courage was needed again to counter today’s media.

“Now we are again witnessing a campaign against the church,” he said. “The aim is to undermine the church’s credibility.”

Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, called his account of heroic resistance to the Nazis a “falsification of history”. Hans-Ulrich Pfaffmann, a Social Democrat in Bavaria’s state assembly, called the bischop’s comments a “kick in the face” to abuse victims.

The diocese has accused state-run Bavarian radio, which first reported the story, of distorting the sermon.

Mueller’s blast at the media echoed similar criticisms in Italy and Ireland as daily reports on discoveries of new abuse charges have put the church increasingly on the defensive.

The abuse charges in Regensburg are particularly sensitive because German-born Pope Benedict taught theology there from 1969 to 1977. His brother, Rev. Georg Ratzinger, has admitted to slapping boys in the Regensburg choir he once led.

On Saturday, Pope Benedict apologised to Irish sexual abuse victims in an official letter but stopped short of addressing charges in his native Germany or other countries, disappointing many German Catholics hoping for at least a brief comment.

(Writing by Christopher Lawton, editing by Tom Heneghan)

Scarlett Keeling murder trial to begin on April 5

Panaji, Mar 19 (ANI): The Goa Children”s Court has set April 5 as the next hearing date of the trial into the rape and murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling.

The trial of two men accused of killing British teenager Scarlett Keeling in Goa was adjourned on March 17 after it emerged that the chief prosecutor had been replaced.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Public Prosecutor S R Rivanker said the trail would begin from April 5, and ten out of the total 72 witnesses would be examined.

“Today the trial, the matter was fixed, for informing the court how prosecution wants to proceed with the trial. So, accordingly we have given our programme. We want to examine the witnesses, and first ten witnesses will be examined on the point of the recovery of the dead body that is fixed from April 5th,” said Rivanker.

Rivanker added that efforts would be made to complete the trial by the end of 2010.
“We are proposing to complete the trial by the end of this year, so that some judgement may come out by the end of this year,” he said.

28-year old Samson D”Souza and 36-year old Placido Carvalho, who were arrested, in this case are on bail at present.

The pair face charges including culpable homicide, sexual assault and destroying evidence.
It is the latest in a series of delays since Keeling”s partly unclothed body was found on a beach at Anjuna in north Goa in February 2008.

The 15-year-old from Bideford in Devon had been on a six-month holiday in India with her mother, Fiona Mackeown, and other family members.

The initial police investigation concluded she drowned accidentally but a second postmortem revealed the teenager had been attacked and raped.

A report from the government”s chief pathologist concluded she had been held underwater for five to 10 minutes. (ANI)

26/11 attackers had left notes saying “this is pointer to war”

Mumbai, Sep.9 (ANI): Police inspector Prakash Bhoite on Wednesday told a special trial court here that the terrorists involved in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, had planted two powerful bombs with timers in metal boxes at different places near the Taj Hotel with notes scribbled in Urdu saying “this is pointer to war”.

Bhoite told Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that one of the boxes in which these bombs and notes were found was located near the hotel where renovation work of Gateway of India was in progress. The second box was located near the Gokul Hotel behind Taj Hotel.

Both boxes contained eight kg of RDX with timers.

Nikam said that the version of the witness fortified the case of the prosecution that the aim of terrorists was not only to create terror in Mumbai but also to wage a war against India.

Bhoite said he was on duty at the Colaba Police station on the day of terror attacks when he heard the shots being fired outside.

He said he rushed outside and learnt that two persons had entered Taj Hotel after firing at customers inside and outside Cafe Leopold.

Bhoite further said he was asked to look for explosives, and during the search, he found two boxes near the Taj Hotel laden with explosives.

The bomb detection and disposal squad was immediately summoned which defused the bombs, he told the trial court. (ANI)

26/11 trial: Judge expresses surprise over Home minister’s statement

Mumbai, Aug 26 (ANI): Judge M.L Tahiliyani who is presiding over the 26/11 trial expressed surprise on Wednesday over Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil’s statement that the verdict will be delivered on September 15.

“Your Home Minister makes a statement that the case will be over by September 15 but his officer has still not submitted documents in the court,” Judge Tahiliyani told to Special Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikkam.

Nikkam, however, informed the court that he had personally spoke to Patil on the matter and Patil had clarified that the media had misquoted him.

He had remarked about recording of evidence are expected to be over by September 15 and not about the delivery of judgement, Nikkam said quoting Patil.

A section of media quoted Patil as saying that the judgement of 26/11 Mumbai attack case will be delivered on September 15.

Judge Tahiliyani is conducting the trial of lone surviving gunman Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and two accused members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Faheem Ansari and Shahbuddin Ahmed.

He expressed concern over the non-submission of the opinion of ballistic expert to the court by the investigating officer.

The prosecution has examined 157 witnesses so far pertaining to the firing incidents of Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) firing, and Cama Hospital, stealing of Skoda car and the killing of Amarsing Solanki, the navigator of M V Kuber.

The incidents of Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel, Nariman House and explosions in two taxis are yet to be proved. (ANI)