A defence lawyer asked an anti-terrorism court on Saturday to summon President Gen Pervez Musharraf to testify on whether there was a plot to kill him last year, lawyers said. Four Islamic militants and a former paramilitary soldier are accused of trying to assassinate President Musharraf on April 26, 2002, as he travelled from Karachiâs Quaid-e-Azam International Airport into the city. The prosecution alleges that an explosive-laden car parked along the route failed to explode because a remote-control device malfunctioned. âIf the prosecution is claiming the defendants attempted to take General Musharrafâs life and the defendants are denying the charges, he should come and tell the truth in the court,â defence lawyer Abdul Waheed Katpar said.
| Ummm... I thought it was supposed to be a surprise? |
Mr Katpar is defending Muhammed Hanif, one of four Islamic militants on trial. The others are Muhammed Imran, Muhammed Ashraf and Muhammed Sharib â all members of the militant group Harakatul Mujahideen Al Almi. The fifth defendant is former paramilitary ranger Mohammed Wasim Akhtar. The state prosecutor said the president was unlikely to appear in court.
| "'Bout as likely as a monkey flying out of my butt playing a banjo..." |
âThis is a futile exercise on part of defence attorney as the president has immunity from appearing in court, and, if he comes he can appear as prosecution witness and not for the defence,â prosecutor Maula Bakhsh Bhatti said.
| "It was him they were trying to kill, after all..." |
The trial, being held in a Karachi prison, started in April but has been delayed for months because of construction work to the prisonâs courtroom, lawyers said. On Saturday, four of the defendants recorded statements denying the charges of conspiracy to kill President Musharraf, use of explosives and terrorism.
| "Nope. Nope. Never happened. Nope. Nope..." |
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