Pakistan court gives 23 times death penalty to 3 Taliban militants

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court today handed down '23 times' death sentence to three militants of outlawed Pakistani Taliban for the 2009 attack on the country's spy agency ISI's headquarters here that killed 35 people.

The ATC Lahore convicted Bashir Ahmed, Sarfraz and Abid of attack, giving them '23 times' death sentence and imposing a Rs 500,000 fine to be paid to the family of each victim.

The ATC judge announced the verdict after the prosecution showed evidence and witnesses against the accused who were active members of the banned Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and had undergone militant training in tribal areas.

At least 35 people, including a Colonel and six other personnel of the Inter Services Intelligence, were killed and over 250 wounded in the attack in May 2009 in Lahore.

The interrogation of the suspects, behind the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009, at the ISI building was said to be the possible reason behind the attack.