I'm Pak Army deserter: Rana

NEW DELHI: Terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana has claimed that he is a Pakistani Army deserter and hence cannot return to Pakistan in an effort to bolster his case for bail before a US court. The court, however, did not give him any reprieve this time round.

District judge Matthew Kennelly refused to hear the bail plea after prosecutors said they expect an indictment against Rana, who is being investigated for links to the Mumbai terror attacks, by January 14. This would send the case to a different judge. The next hearing is set for January 21.

But the Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect, who praised the Lashkar for the Mumbai terror attacks, claimed he would not flee to Pakistan as he had deserted the Pakistani Army after developing high-altitude sickness during deployment in Northern Areas. "Defendant’s Pakistani background should raise no concerns whatsoever regarding risk of flight," the motion said, according to reports.

The court, in an earlier hearing in December, had denied bail to Rana saying if released he could flee the country to avoid a possible 30-year jail term.