ISI, LeT, al-Qaeda had different intentions after Mumbai attacks

Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence, terror outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and al Qaeda had different intentions after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai but the common motive was to create trouble in India.

This was clear from the deposition of David Coleman Headley, the 56-year-old US citizen of Pakistani descent, whose examination-in-chief by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam concluded on Saturday. 

“Major Iqbal (of ISI) wanted me to strengthen my cover for military intelligence....Sajid Mir (his LeT handler) and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha (a former LeT man then associated with al Qaeda) wanted attacks, so was I....besides, Dr Tahawwur Rana wanted to make some money,” Headley told Additional Sessions Judge G A Sanap, who presides over anti-terrorism cases in Mumbai. Headley also told Special Judge G A Sanap that he attempted to develop close relations with a Shiv Sena member (Rajaram Rege) as he thought LeT would be interested in future to either attack the Shiv Sena Bhawan here or assassinate its head (late Bal Thackeray). On his associating with Rege, he said: “....asked Rege to convince Bala and his son to (visit) the US....the head of Shiv Sena and his son.” 

Headley said he had informed Dr Rana about Rege and his utility. On some issues, he has also kept Major Pasha and Sajid Mir on the loop. 

Nikam told Headley that Major Iqbal has asked him to keep Rege engaged in seminars and conferences in the US — and wanted to know what “engaged” means. “In intelligence, (it means) keeping someone occupied till you figure out what to do,” he said. 

Mir at one point of time also asked “whether you could find some investor”, a reference to a possible business association between Rana and Rege.