Mumbai attacker in surprise guilty plea

By Rina Chandran

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The lone surviving gunman from last year's Mumbai attacks made a surprise guilty plea on Monday, admitting his role in the three-day rampage that killed 166 and raised tensions between India and Pakistan.

Pakistani citizen Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, 21, had been charged with 86 separate offences including murder and waging war against India in the November 26-28 assault.

During a routine interrogation of witnesses Monday, Kasab got up and told the Mumbai court: "I have something to say. I want to confess," prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters.

He recorded a three-hour confession recounting his actions, officials said.

"He has confessed to his role and the fact that he was involved in the attacks that killed so many people ... the planning and the execution," lead police investigator Rakesh Maria told Reuters.

Kasab, who had pleaded not guilty in May, now faces a possible death sentence.

The only one of the 10 gunmen captured alive during the coordinated attacks on targets including two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and the train station, Kasab is among 38 charged in the attack. India says most of the accused are in Pakistan.

Kasab, who says he is from Faridkot in Pakistan, became the physical embodiment of India's contention that its neighbouring rival had let its soil be used to plan and launch the attacks. That led Delhi to break off five-year peace talks with Pakistan.