Captured Terrorist - Ajmal Amir Kasav - tells his story

The Times of India - 3rd December, 2008:

The 21-yr-old captured fidayeen was born at Faridkot village (pop 3,000), Dipalpur tehsil, of Okara district in Punjab province, 50 km east of Multan. Family belongs to Qasai caste. Father, Mohd Amir Iman, runs dahi-puri snack cart, mother, Noori Tai, looks after a ramshackle home Ajmal is one of 5 children. Eldest brother, Afzal, 25, works as a labourer in Lahore, lives near Yadgar Minar. Sister, Rukaiyya Husain, 22, is married in the village. Then comes Ajmal. Sister, Suraiyya, 14, and brother Munir, 11, still at home Ajmal’s poor father can’t keep him in the local government primary school. In 2000, 13-yr-old Ajmal, who has done just class 4, is sent off to his brother Afzal in Lahore. The elder brother, then 17, hardly has the means to look after his young brother Ajmal shuttles between Lahore and Faridkot village. In 2005, fights with his father and leaves home, saying he won’t return. Not welcome in Afzal’s house either. Stays at the shrine of holy man Syed Ali Hajveri. Like his elder brother, starts working as labourer Finds the work degrading. Gets attracted to petty crime. With friend Muzaffar Lal Khan, launches new career in armed robberies. On Dec 21, 2007, Bakr-Eid day, they go to Rawalpindi to buy weapons It’s here that they run into activists of Jamaat-ud-Dawa - Lashkar-e-Taiba;s political wing - handing out pamphlets about their organization. After a brief chat, the duo sign up - not because of their conviction but for the training they might get. That, they feel, would further their career in crime Reach LeT’s base camp, Markaz Taiba. It’s here that Ajmal starts getting influenced by films on India’s “atrocities” in Kashmir, by impassioned speeches by preachers, including LeT chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Starts believing it might be worth sacrificing his worthless life for glory of Islam The camp gives him a sense of belonging that he never had in his family. When he comes home during a 2-month breaks finds he is suddenly being treated with respect by his family and community kin After this break, Ajmal chosen for for LeT’s basic combat course, Daura Aam. Does well and is chosen with small group of 32 for advanced training, Daura Khaas, at a camp near Manshera. Does well here too Selected for high-skill marine commando and navigation training, specially imparted to the team of 10 fidayeen team, chosen to attack Mumbai. At 4.15 am, on Nov 23, Ajmal with the unit, sail off from a forlorn creeknear Karachi, each equipped with AK-47s, 200 rounds of ammo and grenades Just before his departure, LeT military commander Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi promised Ajmal a reward of Rs 1.5 lakh to his family for his sacrifice in the cause of Islam