Ajmal Kasab on Tuesday said his mandate was to open fire indiscriminately at CST and take people "hostage" on the upper floor, as the special judge for the Mumbai attack trial weighed three options on how to treat the confession of the lone surviving gunman pleading guilty.

Special Judge M L Tahilyani deferred a decision on Kasab's dramatic confession yesterday admitting to his involvement in the terror attack and seeking a quick verdict. The judge adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday after the prosecution sought time to file its reply.

Continuing his statement, 22-year-old Kasab said he and his slain partner Abu Ismail were directed to start firing indiscriminately at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal(CST, take hostages and attack policemen trying to rescue the victims.

"Humko kaha gaya tha ki CST main logon ko bandhi banana hai aur unko pehle male pe leke jaana hai..(We were told to take hostages at CST and take them to the first floor)," Kasab told the court.

The judge said Kasab's statement before the court was "broadly speaking not a confession" but an admission of guilt.

The court would need to verify whether Kasab was genuinely pleading his guilt as there were many charges against him, the judge said, adding, the court could then accept his statement, reject it or accept the plea and continue with the trial.

Nikam and Kasab's lawyer Abbas Kazmi said the court had three options. Kazmi said the statement of the Pakistani national--who faces the death penalty if convicted--was not a confession but an admission of a guilt.

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