Mumbai: During the fourth day of his deposition as approver in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack trial, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley on Friday told the court about LeT and Al-Qaeda’s further plans to target India post the 26/11 attacks including their intention to attack the then Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray or Shiv Sena Bhavan and other important establishments like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) in Mumbai, National Defence College in Delhi, as it was a high value target and all Chabad Houses (Jewish and Israeli community centres) in India.
Headley in his statement said that when he had gone to Pakistan in June he had met Major Sajid Mir, Abu Kahafa, Major Iqbal, Major Abdul Rehman Pasha and Zaki-ur-Rehma Lakhvi to show his recommended targets.
At this time Lakhvi had told him that it was a very important action and it should be done properly, “It will give us a chance to avenge all the bomb blasts India has perpetrated on Pakistan,” Lakhvi had told Headley.
Headley on Friday stated before the special judge GA Sanap that during his first visit when he was asked to make general video of Mumbai city, he had visited inside Shiv Sena Bhavan in 2007 and had prepared video of the Sena headquarters both from inside and outside.
Talking about National Defence College in Delhi, Headley said that after the success of 26/11, an Al-Qaeda commander Ilyas Kashmiri had asked him to go back to India and survey NDC and Chabad houses all over India because he was also interested in attacking India.
Indo-Pak talks may be delayed further
India on Friday strongly backed the validity of the deposition of Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley saying it was admissible under law, even as there are indications that the proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries are likely to be further delayed till Pakistan takes concrete steps against persons responsible for the Pathankot terror attack.
India also seized on former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s admission that ISI trains LeT and Jaish militants and asked Pakistan’s “state actors” to stop supporting terrorism in the region. There are also indications that the Pakistani political leadership is planning to project that JuD chief Maulana Masood Azhar has escaped from the country in order to avoid the responsibility of arresting him.
“It is up to Pakistan to investigate the conspiracy in Pakistan behind 26/11 and bring all concerned to justice,” said the MEA spokesperson.
