Delhi Red Fort attacker loses appeal against death sentence

A Pakistani convicted of murder for an attack at the Red Fort in New Delhi in December 2000 lost his appeal against execution in the Supreme Court Wednesday. The death penalty was handed down to Mohammed Arif for his role in the gun attack at the historic tourist attraction in which three people were killed.

Arif used the alias Ashfaq when he and five other men entered the Red Fort late on 22 December 2000 and opened fire. A soldier, an army barber and a civilian working for the military were killed.

The Pakistani-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India blames for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ashfaq was found guilty of murder and waging war against India in 2005. His last avenue of appeal is to seek clemency from India’s President Pratibha Patil.

A total of 11 people stood trial in the case, but 10 were acquitted.