When it was read out to Kasab, he said he wanted to retract from it saying it was taken by police under duress. Inside the court, Kasab appeared to be comfortable and was often seen smiling at his lawyer and reporters. However, the after lunch recess, he became serious and attentive when Prosecutor Nikam dwelt upon his alleged role in terror attack cases.

The judge warned Kasab not to talk to the other accused. Kasab, who was wearing a dark grey T-shirt with blue stripes and a black trousers, nodded his head and kept quiet.

Nikam, however, argued that Kasab was retracting his confession after two months. He denied the allegations that the confession was taken under duress and said it was recorded by a Magistrate who is an independent judicial officer.

In another development, Kasab said he was a juvenile (below the age of 18 years) and therefore the Special Court had no jurisdiction to try him. The Judge, however, rejected his plea after Nikam said that jail records and confession of the accused indicated that his age was 21 years.

When Kasab's confession was being read out by the prosecutor, the accused appeared to be serious and hung his head down with hands on forehead.

Nikam said LeT chief Hafeez Muhammed Saeed, the outfit's chief of operations Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhavi and its member Abu Hamza had trained the accused in various parts of Pakistan.

In Muzaffarabad, Nikam said, they were taught to take positions with AK-47 rifles and also imparted knowledge in making bombs from RDX. In Muridke, the headquarters of LeT near Lahore, the accused were taught how to find out whether they were being trailed and how to confuse them.

... contd.