Pakistan Taliban Threatens India Over Execution

Pakistani villagers talk to media representatives following the execution of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, who was the sole surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, at Kasab's village in Farid kot, on Nov. 21, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)

The Pakistan Taliban on Thursday threatened to attack India to avenge the execution of Mohammad Kasab, the last remaining gunman who took part in the deadly Mumbai attacks in 2008.

The Indian government executed Kasab, a 25-year-old Pakistani, Wednesday after he was convicted for partaking in the three-daylong assault that left 166 people dead.

“We have decided to target Indians to avenge the killing of Ajmal Kasab,” Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told Al-Jazeera.

Ehsan also said that if Indian authorities do not return Kasab’s body, the Taliban will capture Indians “and will not return their bodies,” the network reported.

“We strongly demand that his body be returned to Pakistan. If the body is not handed over [to the family] our reaction will be more severe,” he told AFP.

Kasab had never said that he belonged to the Taliban, but admitted to being a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group.

Indian authorities said Kasab was buried near where he was executed, according to CNN.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman told AFP Wednesday that before the execution, Indian authorities requested that Pakistan increase security for Indian diplomats in the country.

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