Clemency for Afzal ? - An unwilling NO

Here is the reproduction of a reply that I gave to an opinion poll on a popular portal on the subject of clemency for Afzal who is facing the noose in the 2001 parliament attack case:

"I am usually against the institution of capital punishment due to the human values and principles that I have imbibed. However since many decades the so called freedom-fighters have been targeting India for the cause of "free Kashmir" and that this idea was fomented by Pakistan is a well known fact.Recent statements made by Pakistan Govt clearly indicates that "free Kashmir" is an already lost cause and all its original instigators have given up on the idea.So what they do next is to make "use" of local Indian youth by misguiding them through false propoganda and cashing on their poverty and unemployment. Even highly literate youth are easily tutored, not because they believe in the Jehadist cause but simply because literate people can think logically and all their masters need to do is spin their thoughts with consistant propoganda and thus make the idea of jehad seem very logical. Thus homegrown terrorist are born. Due to this, difficult times have set in for the country and tough times call for tough measures. It requires us to toughen our hearts, overcome the emotions and clench the jaw and give a nod to hang our own brethren who have gone horribly wrong, including Afzal"