Thursday, May 26, 2011

Headley bought red 'bracelets' as Hindu disguise for attackers /David Coleman Headley gives details on how ISI nurtured him-27 May, 2011


Headley bought red 'bracelets' as Hindu disguise for attackers

David Coleman Headley gives details on how ISI nurtured him(so now Pakistan can not deny allegation of helping terrorism specially against India...VT)

NEW DELHI: Fresh disclosures made by David Coleman Headley during his testimony against co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana throw new light on the role of Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence handler Major Iqbal and other non-commissioned officers of ISI in training and conditioning the Pakistani-American for espionage ahead of the Mumbai terror strikes.

On the third day of the 26/11 trial underway in a Chicago court, Headley testified that after Major Iqbal was introduced to him as an ISI officer in 2006, he had received detailed training from him as well as other non-commissioned officers in the ISI in spotting and assessing people, recognising Indian military insignia and movements, dead drops and pick up points and clandestine photography.

Headley said that he was first connected to Major Iqbal through another Major Sameer Ali of the Khyber regimental center. Headley said although he had never seen Major Iqbal in military uniform, he came to meet him several times in a military jeep and his subordinates had military designations.

The decisive evidence of ISI's role in the Mumbai attacks that has come up during the Rana trial is being seen by the Indian security establishment as a vindication of their claims about the Pakistani state agencies' involvement in the 26/11 conspiracy. Underlining this, Indian ambassador to the US Meera Shankar -- who called on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in the capital to discuss the agenda for his meeting with US Department of Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano on Friday -- said: "The Rana trial is going on and Headley is the key witness. The revelations coming out from the trial are shedding new light on the full details of the (26/11) conspiracy."

Incidentally, MHA is hoping that Napolitano will informally share the evidence and exhibits put up before the Chicago court, when she sits across the table with Chidambaram.

The two sides will discuss issues of mutual interest, including coastal security, mega city policing, countering illicit financing and trans-national crime, cyber security, accessing and sharing of data relating to terrorism , transfer of counter-terrorism and homeland security equipment to each other, capacity building and mutual assistance in investigations including in the Mumbai terror attacks. In Chicago, Headley, despite repeated questioning by defence attorney Charles Swift, said that he did not know the full name of Major Iqbal. He however said he was sure that Major Iqbal was from the ISI.

Defense attorney Swift asked Headley, "Did ISI provide you training," to which Headley replied in the affirmative. Headley said that Major Iqbal was not satisfied with the notes taken by him during his training by the Lashker-e-Taiba. Iqbal thought the notes were "not good enough," Headley told the jury.

"So Major Iqbal had me instructed. Iqbal did some of the instruction himself and some by non-commissioned officers (NCOs), Headley said adding that he received training from Major Iqbal in a two-storey safehouse in a residential area close to the Lahore airport.

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