Don't bury Mumbai terrorists here: Muslim clerics

Muslim clerics in Mumbai said Tuesday that the bodies of nine militants who carried out last week's attacks in the city should not be buried in India.

A group of Muslim scholars representing about 50 religious organizations met to discuss how the community should respond to the attacks that killed 188 people and injured more than 300.

Only one of the 11 gunmen involved in the shootings and grenade attacks has been captured alive. India says all the attackers came from Pakistan.

"These people should be buried where they came from. There is no space for them on our holy land," said Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, president of the city's Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya madrassa or Muslim religious school.

The bodies are currently lying in two morgues in Mumbai hospitals, where officials said they are waiting for the local government's directions on what to do with them.

"It seems that non-profit bodies have been asked to bury them, but no one seems to be ready," said one senior official at Mumbai's Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy (J.J.) Hospital where eight bodies are being kept.

The authorities may also wait for a few more days in case someone makes a claim on the bodies, the official said.

The clerics said they hoped their recommendation to refuse burial in India would be heeded.

"If someone goes ahead and does it, it would be a big disappointment, a big letdown," Ashraf said.

These people should be buried where they came from. There is no space for them on our holy land

Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, president of the city\'s Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya madrassa

Severest Punishment

The clerics also called for strict punishment for anyone who had a role in the attacks.

"They should be given the severest punishment so that no one ever dares repeat such a thing," said Mohammed Mansoor Ali Qadami, general secretary of the influential All India Sunni Jamiat-ul-Ulema group.

"The entire Muslim community condemns these attacks. No religion teaches people to kill."

Muslims in Mumbai will hold a peace march after Friday prayers for the victims of the terror attacks.

Around two million of Mumbai's estimated 19 million inhabitants are Muslim.

The clerics said their meeting also discussed ways to counter the perceived association of Islam with extremism.

At least 188 people were killed in the 60 hours between Wednesday night and Saturday morning when 11 terrorists targeted about 10 locations in the city. Ten died in gun battles and one was taken captive by the security forces.

According to the Mumbai police chief the attackers were on a "suicide mission."

The entire Muslim community condemns these attacks. No religion teaches people to kill

Mohammed Mansoor Ali Qadami, general secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiat-ul-Ulema