'Kasab verdict a message to Pak terror groups'

Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday said the verdict against Ajmal Kasab in the Mumbai attacks case is a "clear message" to terror outfits in Pakistan and has proved that India can take strong action against criminals and terrorists.

"It (verdict) is a clear message to the terrorists outfits, organisations and groups working there across the border," Antony told mediapersons in New Delhi.

"It has been proved by this judgment...under the present law itself...if there is a will we can take strong action and we can send a proper message to all the criminals and terrorists," he said on the sidelines of a function to mark the golden jubilee of the Border Roads Organisation, a defence infrastructure institution.

Antony was asked about his reaction to the death sentence awarded to Kasab by a trial court in Mumbai for the attacks on the megapolis on November 26, 2008 in which 166 people were killed.

To a question on Pakistan using US-supplied weapons in a military exercise focusing on India's western borders, the Defence Minister said the Americans had already been warned of the possibility that the equipment supplied by it to fight the Taliban would be diverted to target India.

"We have already conveyed our concern about transfer of (US) equipment to Pakistan. We told them (Americans) our fear, even though US is giving equipment to Pakistan to fight against Taliban, we feel there is every possibility of (Pakistan) diverting most of them to the Indian borders. We told the US that they have to be careful about that," he said.