New Delhi: Pakistani-American terrorist Daood Gilani alias David Coleman Headley’s revelations in a Mumbai court have nailed Lashkar-e-Toiba and Pakistan's Inter-State Intelligence (ISI) service role in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Headley also disclosed the close nexus between the terror outfit and the Pakistani intelligence agency.
In the two-day deposition for over 10 hours, Headley unravelled ISI's plan to attack Mumbai and the various terrorists behind the deadly attack in which 166 people lost their lives during the November 26-28,2008 attacks.
Here are the terrorists whom Headley named in his deposition:
Hafiz Saeed
Headley joined LeT after being "influenced" by its head Hafiz Saeed and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad. Headley said Hafiz Saeed was his mentor. In training camps, they were taught that India is the enemy of Islam. According to Headley, 'Jihad' is to fight against enemies of Islam'.
The court showed him Saeed's photograph to recognise to which he confirmed that he is the same person.
Zakir Rehman Lakhvi
Lakhvi is the operational head of LeT. Headley told court that he intended to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops, but they (Lakhvi and LeT) didn't send him. They told him that he's too old for this and they will use him for some other purpose.
In the court, Headley confirmed photograph of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
Headley visited India seven times before the attack and recced various places and once after that.
Sajid Mir
Headley revealed that LeT's Sajid Mir was his contact person. Mir is terror outfit's foreign recruiter and a key member of LeT who runs training camps for the organisation. Mir had reportedly asked him to set up an office in India with a motive to build a cover up in India. Headley had taken a 5-year visa to set up his business in India.
Headley said the Mumbai attacks were planned in a meeting in November 2007 and it was attended by Mir and Abu Khafa. Headley gave video and photographs of the Taj Mahal hotel to them. He further said that Mir had specifically instructed him to take videos of Siddhivinayak Temple.
Dr Tahawwur Rana
Headley told the court that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a former Pakistan military physician convicted for providing support to LeT for plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper, had helped him get a five-year visa to India.
"Rana knows something about the 26/11 attacks. I told him not to come to India," Headley told the court. "Rana knew the purpose of my visit to India."
It was Rana's friend Basheer Sheikh who picked up Headley from the airport when he visited India for the first time.
Major Ali, Major Iqbal, Major Abdur Rehman Pasha
Headley got in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdur Rehman Pasha. "I had discussed it (cover story) with Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal of ISI, and they were very happy to see my Indian visa," Headley told the court.
He said he knew Major Iqbal of ISI and had met him in Lahore after one Major Ali (also from ISI) introduced him to the former.
Major Ali thought that he will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India, Headley said.
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