10.2.16

Of Pakistan's State & Non-state actors.....

India's case against Pakistan's use of terrorism as a state policy received unanticipated support from Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley who emphatically told a special court that ISI provided LeT “financial, military and moral support“ and worked closely with the jihadi outfit.
On the second day of his deposition via video from the US before special judge Govind A Sanap, Headley continued to make explosive revelations on the role of Pakistan's military intelligence complex as he underlined how the ISI was joined at the hip with not only LeT, but also the Jaish-e-Muhammad-accused of attacking the Pathankot airbase -and the Kashmir-focused Hizbul Mujahideen.
Headley , a convicted conspirator of the 26/11attacks case, also admitted that he had met LeT “spiritual leader“ Hafiz Saeed and “head of military wing“ Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi. All three terrorist organizations, along with a fourth, Hazrat-ul-Mujahideen, work under the umbrella of the United Jihad Council and operate from Pakistan with the objective of launching attacks against India.
The US national's testimony is significant in view of Saeed's denials despite his open advocacy of violence against India, including his recent threat that Pathankot-type attacks could be repeated.
Headley also told the court that his LeT contact Sajid Mir had specifically asked him to make a video on the Siddhivinayak temple. He further stated that during all of his visits between 2006 and 2008, he had conducted surveillance and taken pictures and videos of city landmarks such as Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Naval Station, Air Station, Maharashtra Police State headquarters, BARC, Oberoi Hotel and Chabad House. He further revealed that he also made a video of the entire stretch of Bhagat Singh Marg at Colaba. Hotel Leopold is situated on this stretch. Headley was shown pictures of several of the places and he recognized all of them. He said during his first visit to take a general video in 2006, he did not know the Taj Mahal Hotel was a target.
He said during his visit in 2008, he did surveillance of multiple targets for attacks as well as selected a landing site. Headley also said he had used the GPS device so he could store various locations in Mumbai, including locations in the Arabian Sea. This device with the stored information was handed over to Sajid Mir.
The terrorist said the decision to attack the city was taken in November 2007, in a meeting at Muzzafarabad. Headley said he did not know why the city was chosen and in an earlier meeting, Bangalore and Delhi were also contenders for his first visit.
Headley said he had attended the 2007 meeting along with his LeT contact Sajid Mir and Abu Kahfa. “I was assigned the task to conduct reconnaissance of Taj Mahal Hotel. A mock-up of Taj was also prepared,“ he said. Headley said the team asked him several questions on the pictures and videos he had taken on an earlier trip to the city in 2006. “They were discussing the entrance, exits of the building and location of the convention hall on the second floor.“ Headley said the plan was to attack a meeting of Indian defence scientists scheduled to take place there.
The convention hall at the Taj Mahal hotel was closely examined by Headley during his stay there with his now ex-wife Faiza Outullah between April 28-30, 2007. “I made a surveillance video of the conference room on the second floor,“ he said. He returned to the hotel again for a night's stay with his wife on May 2, 2007. In the intervening period, the couple stayed at Oberoi Hotel.
After his 2007 visit, Headley said he handed over photos and video surveillance to Sajid Mir and ISI's Major Iqbal. He also had discussions with both about the recce, pictures and video of the second floor of Taj Mahal hotel.However, the plan was later called off as they could not figure out the date and other logistical reasons such as getting personnel and weapons.

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