Headley blows lid off Pak’s sinister designs

He told a Mumbai court that the Pakistani terrorists had made attempts to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes but failed both times. Headley also named Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) while testifying before the court. 

In his deposition through video-conference, Headley said that he was a “true follower of LeT” and came to India eight times- seven before the terror attack on 26 November, 2008 and once after that. Headley’s deposition could shed light on 26/11 conspiracy and other crucial details of the terror strike at multiple locations which left 166 dead on 26 to 28 November, 2008. Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is serving a 35-year sentence.

In his statement before a Mumbai court, Headley for the first time named Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and said that he was his mentor and his speeches motivated him. The court also showed him Saeed’s photograph to recognise, which he confirmed being the same person. “I joined Lashkar in 2002 for a course in Muzaffarabad, Lashkar’s headquarters. I heard a speech by Hafiz Saeed saab and was motivated,” said Headley during the deposition.

Headley also revealed that Lashkar-e-Toiba’s Sajid Mir was his handler in Pakistan. He admitted that after he joined LeT he was trained in Muzaffarabad. Giving India proof against the ISI, Headley named Major Iqbal, Major Ali and Abdul Pasha of the Pakistani intelligence service.

Giving details on the deposition of Headley which began at 7 am, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters in Mumbai that the terrorist said he wanted to fight against the Army deployed in Kashmir. However, top LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhavi drafted told Headley for something “more adventurous”. He revealed that after joing LeT he had met “Major Iqbal” of Pakistan ISI.

“He revealed a lot about Major Iqbal and Major Ali, both of them were there in ISI. It was Major Iqbal who trained him and he also revealed names of few LeT trainers before the court,” Nikam said. 

The Lashkar operative also admitted that his Lashkar “colleague” Sajid Mir was his main contact in the terror outfit. Acting on Mir’s instructions, Headley changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

“I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an US identity.”