On the third day of cross questioning 26/11 Mumbai attacks convict David Coleman Headley said that an event was organised to eliminate Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
The 55-year-old made the claim while being questioned by Abdul Wahab Khan, the lawyer of Abu Jundal, alleged key conspirator of 2008 terror attack in Mumbai.
A case against Jundal is being heard by special judge GA Sanap in Mumbai for which Headley is appearing via video link from the US.
Replying to a question, Headley said that he planned to invite Thackeray for the programme.
“Eventually yes, but it was in initial stages,” he said, adding that that “there was no specific plan to invite Thackeray for this.”
The LeT operative said that Sena man Rajaram Rege had told him that “Thackeray was sick and so may be his son and other officials may attend the programme”.
Headley had discussed the fund-raising event with representatives of LeT. However, whether the late convener of Shiv Sena knew about the programme or not, is not clear. When asked about it, Healey said,
How can I know this? I spoke to Rajaram Rege and he told me that he (Thackeray) was advised against travelling. In general terms, I never asked this (Thackeray’s presence) specifically.
‘Former Pakistan PM Gilani Visited Our House When My Father Died’
Headley claimed that the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousaf Raza Gillani had visited their house for his father’s funeral.
His father was aware of his association with the LeT but did not approve of it.
David Headley said that he is the son of a retired DG of Radio Pakistan. His father died on 25 December 2008, a month after the Mumbai terror attack.
Refusing to reveal details about the whereabouts of his family members, Headley said that some of his relatives were in the Pakistan establishment.
His former wife, he said, had filed a police complaint against him for which he had to spend time in jail. Besides this, he refused to answer questions about his wives on Thursday and Friday.
Hated India Since My School Was Bombed in 1971
Headley also told the court that he had developed hatred towards India and Indians since childhood and wanted to “cause maximum damage since then”.
My school was bombed in 1971 by Indian planes and that time, I developed this feeling.David Headley
He claimed to have joined LeT because of his hatred for India.
America’s Role in LeT Operations
Headley, who is currently serving a 35-year jail term in the US, denied reports that the US has been funding certain activities of the terror outfit.
It is baseless to say that my movement to Pakistan was known to US agencies.
He also dismissed the claim that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has purposely not insisted on levying a fine on him for his part in the attacks.
Other Claims by Headley
David Headley finished a week long deposition through video link from the US on 13 February.
During the weeklong deposition and questioning by Jundal’s lawyer, he made various claims. Some of them are listed below.
- He had not personally met any of the 10 attackers in the 26/11 case but he had seen the photo of one of the attackers on the internet and identified him as Ajmal Kasab ‘Rehmatullah Aliah’.
- He claimed that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI provides “financial, military and moral support” to terror outfits LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.
- He spoke about LeT’s planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks.
- He had also claimed that Ishrat Jahan, killed in an allegedly fake encounter in Gujarat, was an LeT operative.
He has asked the US authorities for another round of deposition in the Indian court.
Also Read:
How Deadly is the Headley Testimony?
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)