ISI Wanted to Recruit From Indian Army, Headley Tells Mumbai Court
David Headley begins testifying before Mumbai court in 26/11 terror attacks case through video link.
Updated:
David Headley, an accused in the Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack (Photo: This photo has been altered by The Quint)
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David Headley began testifying before Mumbai court in 26/11 terror attacks case through video link on the sixth day.
The Pakistan-born American national and Lakshar-e-Taiba operative, Headley is serving a 35-year jail term in the US for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks. He is deposing in the Mumbai court via video link from an undisclosed location in the US.
On the first day of his deposition in a Mumbai special court, Headley made a number of revealing confessions on record.
Headley Visited Pakistan Number of Times After 26/11: Ujjwal Nikam
- Special Public prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam is done with the examination. Cross-examination has been adjourned. Attorney of Abu Jindal (cross-examiner) asks court for time to go through evidence, records etc.
- Audio tape including conversation between 26/11 attackers played in Mumbai court.
- Headley says, “I can hear three different voices in the audio tape, of Abu Khafa, Sajid Mir and Abu al-Qama”. He adds that the one voice saying ‘salaam alaykum kya haal hai’, that voice is of Sajid Mir (LeT).
- Inn 6 dino mei mujhe lagta hai bahut logon ki chutti hone wali hai, says Ujjwal Nikam
- David Headley accepts that no action has been taken against AR Pasha, Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali in Pakistan: Ujjwal Nikam
- I asked David Headley how many times he visited Pakistan after 26/11, he said “number of times”: Ujjwal Nikam
Headley’s Interaction With Rajaram Rege
- Headley interacted with Rajaram Rege (Uddhav Thackeray’s public relations officer) through email when he was in Pakistan and the US. He sent this conversation to Dr Rana for him to see how to use Rajaram Rege.
- In May 2008, he sent a mail to Major Iqbal with brief information about Rajaram Rege to him. Headley also had a telephonic conversation with Major Iqbal about Rege.
- On 20 May 2008, he received a mail from Major Iqbal asking “whether developing relations with Rajaram Rege will be useful to get info of military and forces activities of India?”
- On 20 May 2008, Headley sent a mail enclosing the mail of Rajaram Rege dated 19 May to Sajid Mir (LeT).
- Major Iqbal asked Headley to keep Rajaram Rege engaged in seminars and conferences in US.
- Headley wrote to Sajid Mir “jaldi reply karo, Rege ka message aaya tha, Rah-e-Amal (Line of action) decide karo”.
- On 25 May 2008, Headley received a mail from Sajid Mir (LeT). The mail also mentioned the name “Bala and son”. When asked by Special PP Ujjawal Nikam about what he meant by “Bala and son”, Headley replied “Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and son Uddhav”
- On 10 July 2009 when Headley was in Chicago, Sajid Mir sent him an email saying he has some investment plan (another location for attack in India). Sajid Mir also mentioned that “this is not in your friend Rahul (Rahul Bhatt)‘s city (Mumbai) but some other part”.
Headley admits before court that after 26/11 attack, Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan never arrested him, Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal. Headley says before that nobody made an enquiry about him till he was arrested by FBI in Chicago on October 3, 2009.
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhavi’s son was killed while fighting against Indian troops in Indian occupied Kashmir.
Email Conversations
- Headley visited India again despite having apprehensions about being arrested, he claims.
- Headley says gulati22@hotmail.com was his email id and rare.lemon@gmail.com was Sajid Mir’s email id and they used to exchange mails through these ids.
- On 8 July, Headley sent a mail to Sajid Mir, asking “are most of the problems solved for Uncle and his friends?” Headley refers Hafiz Saeed as “Uncle” and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi as “his friends”.
- Headey says he sent this mail in the aftermath of the terror attack in Mumbai, when Pakistan government was carrying out the investigation.
- On 8 July 2009, Headley wrote in mail “how is uncle doing?” to which Sajid Mir replied “Uncle is doing well and flying high”.
- On 28 Aug 2009, a mail was written from gulati22@hotmail.com to Sajid Mir asking, “old uncle got H1 Virus too? Doctor in hospital want to give check up.”
- The mail indicated that investigation might be conducted on them and they could be arrested, Headley explained.
- On 31 August 2009, Sajid Mir replied to Headley “Is land matter solved?” My uncle is moving like tornado. Regards to Dr. Sahab (Dr. Rana)”. “Construction of land owned by me in Karachi was talked about,” Headley replied.
- “Sajid Mir assured me that nothing will happen to Hafiz Sahab,” David Headley added on being asked by Special PP about the meaning of the mail.
Headley Talks to Dr Tahawwur Rana
- After the 26/11 terror attack, Headley met Dr Tahawwur Rana in Chicago. Rana was pleased with the terror attack in Mumbai.
- On 3 March 2009, Headley sent an e-mail to Dr Tahawwur Rana, with the subject line “Headley’s personal will” which he had executed.
- Headley said he sent this ‘will’ to Dr Rana because he was going back to India again and thought he may be killed and arrested in India. In order to take care of his belongings, he sent this will to Dr Rana.
Headley Travelled in India and Recorded Videos
- From 11 March 2009 to 13 March 2009, Headley visited Pushkar in Rajasthan. He travelled and made a video of the city including Chabad House.
- From 16 March 2009 to 17 March 2009, he stayed at Surya Villa hotel in Pune.
- In Pune, he visited the Indian Army installation and made a video. Headley defined the Indian Army installation as “headquarters of southern command of Indian Army”.
- Previously Major Iqbal had asked him to visit the Indian Army installation (Pune) to recruit people from who have classified information.
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