Hafiz Saeed, ISI Behind 26/11, Headley Confirms in Court
The Quint brings you live updates from David Headley’s deposition in Mumbai.
Took Orders From Hafiz Saeed: Headley on First Day of Depositions
On the first day of his deposition to a Mumbai special court, David Headley made a number of revealing confessions on record.
- Headley confessed to having visited 5-6 militant training camps in Pakistan. He attended Daura-e-Suffa, Daura-e-Amma, Daura-e-Khasa and Daura-e-Ribat leadership courses, during the course of which he met Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed.
- Two attempts were made to attack Mumbai before the attacks in 26/11: David Headley, speaking in court.
- Speaking to the court today, Headley has said to the court that he had a “general idea” about the 26/11 plan. He also confessed that he visited Pakistan frequently.
- Apart from Mumbai, Headley was sent out to recce the Vice President’s house and the CBI office.
- Arms for the 26/11 attack were smuggled into India by a man from the Khyber area.
‘Handlers’ Were From the ISI
- Headley confesses that he was ‘handled’ by ISI’s major Sameer and Iqbal.
- Lakshar-e-Taiba leader Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi’s handler was ISI’s Brigadier Rivaz.
- Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Shuja Pusha visited Lakhvi after his arrest in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
David Headley’s Lawyer, Mahesh Jethmalani, Speaking to the Media
Who is David Headley?
- David Headley’s original name was Daood Syed Gilani.
- He was born to a Pakistani father and an American mother on June 30, 1960.
- He was brought up by his father as a devout Muslim in Pakistan and moved to USA at the age of 17.
- In 1998 Headley was convicted of conspiring to smuggle heroin into US from Pakistan.
- He served less than two years in jail and then went to Pakistan as an undercover informer for US’ Drug Enforcement Administration.
- In 2006, he changed his name to David Headley and came in contact with Lashkar Militant and ISI officers.
- In June, 2006 he established a branch office of his friend Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s immigration business in Mumbai.
- Between September 2006 and September 2007 Headley made eight visits to India.
- He visited Mumbai seven times to do a survey to aid the plotting of the 26/11 terror attack.
- In 2009, David Headley also visited Copenhagen to help plot the terror attack on the office of Danish Newspaper Jyllands-Posten, that published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
- In October 2009, Headley was arrested at Chicago International airport.
- In the US court, he agreed to cooperate and pleaded guilty in 2010 to 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit murder in India, to avoid death sentence.
- A four-member NIA team had interrogated Headley in Chicago from June 3-9, 2010.
- Headley was sentenced to 35 years in prison by a US court in Jan 2013 for his role in 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
- In December 2015, Headley was granted conditional pardon by a Mumbai court after he turned approver.
- He accepted the court’s conditions, including disclosure of the “full and true facts” leading to the 26/11 attacks and his role in it.
- He also secured a promise not to be extradited to India.
Deposition to Continue Tomorrow at 7 am
David Headley’s deposition will continue tomorrow at 7.00 am.
Headley Met Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed in Militant Training Camps in Pakistan
Headley confessed to having visited 5-6 militant training camps in Pakistan. He attended Daura-e-Suffa, Daura-e-Amma, Daura-e-Khasa and Daura-e-Ribat leadership courses, during the course of which he met Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed.
Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that when asked what ‘jihad’ meant to Headley, the latter said that ‘jihad’ meant fighting the enemies of Islam. Headley was taught in the training camps that India was an enemy of Islam.
Headley Joined in 2002
Headley joined the LeT and took his first “course” with them in 2002.
Also Read
Headly Acted on Hafiz Saeed’s Orders
Headley carried out LeT’s work on the directions of Hafiz Saeed, says his lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani.
2 Attempts Were Made to Attack Mumbai Before 26/11
Two attempts were made to attack Mumbai before the attacks in 26/11: David Headley, speaking in court.
The first attempt was made in September 2008, but the boat hit rocks in the ocean. Weapons and explosives were lost in the sea, though everyone on board survived.
The second attempt was in October 2008, and those involved were involved in the first attempt to attack Mumbai as well. The second attempt was also unsuccessful.
The Social Media Chatter Around Headley:
Speaking to CNN-IBN, former Indian diplomat Rajiv Dogra has said that the United States may no longer offer India help in the investigation of the 26/11 terror attacks, to protect it’s own interests and relationships with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Headley Had a ‘General Idea’ About the 26/11 Plan
- Speaking to the court today, Headley has said to the court that he had a “general idea” about the 26/11 plan. He also confessed that he visited Pakistan frequently.
- Sajid Mir, his main point of contact within the Lashkar-e-Toiba, instructed him to change his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley. Mir had asked him to ‘shoot videos’ in Mumbai.
- David Headley’s testimony is also elucidate the role of terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who roams free in Pakistan, and terrorist Abu Jundal who was identified by Ajmal Kasab as his handler.
David Headley Deposes to Special Court
The Pakistan-born American national and Lakshar-e-Taiba operative, David Coleman Headley will depose via video conference before a special court in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks case for five hours on Monday. The accused-turned-approver will depose as a prosecution witness in court.
According to media reports, Headley has made five revealing confessions to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), offering testimony that may damn Pakistan.
- Headley confesses that he was ‘handled’ by ISI’s major Sameer and Iqbal.
- Apart from Mumbai, Headley was sent out to recce the Vice President’s house and the CBI office.
- Arms for the 26/11 attack were smuggled into India by a man from the Khyber area.
- Lakshar-e-Taiba leader Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi’s handler was ISI’s Brigadier Rivaz.
- Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Shuja Pusha visited Lakhvi after his arrest in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
Headley will be brought face to face with Abu Jundal. He has admitted, in court, to visiting India 8 times, and was instructed by his main contact, Sajid Mir, of the Lakshar-e-Taiba, to change the name in his passport.
David Headley turned approver in the case after being promised conditional pardon by the Indian government in exchange for his testimony. Mahesh Jethmalani is appearing as counsel for Headley.
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