Mumbai: Pakistani-American national David Coleman Headley alias Daood Sayed Gilani and US deported Pakistani-Canadian national Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana were the roots of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, according to the investigations by the Crime Branch-CID of Mumbai Police and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The duo of Headley-Rana, were childhood friends and coursemates at the prestigious Cadet College Hasanabdal in Attock district of Punjab Province had deep links ISI, the spy agency of Pakistan and terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami.
While Headley entered into a plea bargain to turn an approver and secure pardon and provided evidence to a special court in Mumbai during February and March 2016, Rana has been acquitted from the United States.
Both had played key roles in the Pak terror groups sponsored terror plans of Mickey Mouse Project that involved reconnaissance of a larger plan to target Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper’s publication of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed in 2005 and the 26-29 November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 were killed and more than 300 people were injured.
While being stationed in Mumbai on reconnaissance missions, Headley used to receive money from his childhood friend Rana, who was based in Chicago, and used to collect money from Sajid Mir, his LeT handler, Major Iqbal of the ISI and also Major Abdul Rehman Pasha, who left the Pakistani Army to join the LeT and then drifted to al Qaeda.
“The pak terror groups, Headley and Rana, Ilyas Kashmiri, Major Iqbal, Sajid Mir were closely linked,” informed sources based on the investigation and court records.
“The statements of Pakistani fidayeen Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, who was later handed death and the testimony of Headley via video-conferencing as an approver has similar points as well,” the sources said.
Headley has elaborated on the role of Abu Al Kama and Abu Khafa, the two handlers of the 10 fidayeens and Lashkar operatives Major Iqbal and how they were linked to Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, the operations commander and founder Hafiz Saeed.
During the nine days of deposition David Coleman Headley appeared before a special court in Mumbai through video conference from an undisclosed location in the US . The key figure in the terror plot, who had visited the targets seven times for reconnaissance, faced close to 1,400 questions - around 750 by special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam and some 650 by defence lawyer Abdul Wahab Khan.
His deposition had established Rana's involvement in the conspiracy behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and also about his association with ISI, LeT, Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda.
“Headley had advised Rana of his assignment to scout potential targets in India; that Headley obtained Rana’s consent to open an office of First World Immigration Services as a cover for his activities; that Rana advised Headley on how to obtain a visa for travel to India; and that Headley and Rana had reviewed how Headley had done surveillance of the targets that were attacked in Mumbai. Evidence was also produced that Rana told Headley that the terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks should receive Pakistan’s highest military honours posthumously,” according to the NIA.
The 56-year-old Headley also named Haji Ashraf, a Lahore-based businessman as the one who controls the finances of the terror group and that his nephew was killed when security forces repulsed the attack at the Akshardham temple at Gandhinagar on September 24-25, 2002.
As regards money that he received while in Mumbai from Dr Rana, Headley had claimed that that it was on four occasions - Rs 67,605 on October 11, 2006, US dollars 500 on November 7, 2006, Rs 17,636 on November 30, 2006 and US dollars 1,000 on December 4 2006. Major Pasha also gave him 80,000 Indian rupees on one occasion. Major Iqbal gave 25,000 US dollars from him before he left for Mumbai.
Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde hailed the extradition Tahawwur Rana to India and said that there is no doubt that Rana would get severe punishment.
In a statement on Post X he said 'The mastermind of the biggest terrorist attack on our country—the 26/11 attacks—Tahawwur Rana has been brought to India. For this, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister of our nation, @narendramodi. About a month ago, a discussion took place between Prime Minister Modi and the President of the United States, @realDonaldTrump. As a result of that, the United States has extradited the most wanted criminal of India. I also extend my appreciation to India’s External Affairs Minister, @DrSJaishankar, for this. There is no doubt that Tahawwur Rana, who is responsible for the attack on the world’s largest democracy, will be given severe punishment”.
