<p>Mumbai: One of the key links of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks - Tahawwur Hussain Rana - will be bombarded with dozens of questions by the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/national-investigation-agency">National Investigation Agency (NIA) </a>to get answers to several unanswered issues about the terrorist act, crucial among them: whether or not there was any local support? </p><p>Though more than a decade has passed since the 26-29 November, 2008 commando raid by 10 fidayeens as part of the terror project, several questions still remain answered. </p><p>Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and his friend David Coleman Headley alias Daood Sayed Gilani, a Pakistani-American, were the two players who were in touch with <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/lashkar-e-taiba">Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)</a> and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) bosses, besides people in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani spy agency. </p><p>After his extradition to India, Rana has been remanded to the custody of the NIA for 18 days. </p><p>While Headley entered into a plea bargain, turned approver and testified before a court in Mumbai via video-conferencing and spilled the beans on the larger story, the testimony of Rana will help Indian agencies connect the dots further. </p>.NIA takes Tahawwur Rana into 18-day custody; to question him to unravel conspiracy behind 26/11 attacks.<p>Here are the unanswered questions: </p>.<p>Were Headley and Rana equal partners in the crime or who had helped them? As his cover, Headley worked in Tardeo-based immigration facilitation agency, Immigrant Law Centre as a representative of US-based immigration firm First World Immigration Services which was owned by Rana. Who among the duo came was first to come in contact with the ISI?</p>.<p>What was Rana’s exact location when the 26/11 terror attacks were taking place. Was he in touch with the LeT and the Karachi-based control room? Headley was fully aware of the control room and its activities. </p>.<p>Was there any local support? Late Hasan Gafoor, the then Mumbai Police Commissioner had said in February 2009 that there were “14-16 locals” involved in the attack.</p><p>There has been nothing concrete on this issue. </p><p>However, two accused Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Shaikh - who were tried along with Ajmal Kasab - stand acquitted. Another Indian accused, Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who provided key inputs on the masterminds of the attack, is facing trial.</p>.<p>Did the Central agencies and Mumbai police fail to decipher intelligence? According to multiple reports, the Mumbai Police had received more than a dozen secret intelligence alerts from 2006—2008 on the likelihood of a major attack. </p><p>The alerts should have alarmed the government. Whether the Headley-Rana duo, being associated with the Pakistani army earlier, had provided inputs to avoid detection.</p>.<p>How did the boat come in undetected in the highly-guarded Mumbai coast? The group of Pakistan terrorists used the sea route to launch the attacks. The group hijacked an Indian boat, Kuber, killing four of its crew, and finally used rafts to reach the shores of Mumbai. </p><p>How did the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Maharashtra Police miss it? In fact, Headley during his reconnaissance missions plotted coordinates through GPS, briefed Rana and then passed onto LeT.</p>.<p>Besides LeT founder Hafeez Muhammad Saeed alias Hafiz Saab, and LeT’s operations commander Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhvi, what was the role of other key plotters - Abu Al Kama alias Amjid, Abu Kaahfa, Mujjamil alias Yusuf, Zarar Shah,Abu Fahad Ullah, Abu Abdul Rehman, Abu Anas, Abu Bashir, Abu Imran, Abu Mufti Saeed, Hakim Saab, Yusuf, Mursheed, Aakib, Abu Umar Saeed, Usman, Major General Sahab (name not known), Kharak Singh, Mohammed Ishfak, Hakim Sahib and others? </p>.<p>What was ISI's plan? Were the locations that were attacked the only planned targets, or were there other places in India that couldn't be target as planned? Whether strategic and military establishments too were on the radar of ISI?</p>.<p>After the attacks were complete, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians "deserved it." In an intercepted conversation with Headley, Rana allegedly commended the nine LeT terrorists who had been killed committing the attacks, saying that "[they should be given Nishan-e-Haider" —Pakistan's "highest award for gallantry in battle," which is reserved for fallen soldiers.</p>
<p>Mumbai: One of the key links of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks - Tahawwur Hussain Rana - will be bombarded with dozens of questions by the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/national-investigation-agency">National Investigation Agency (NIA) </a>to get answers to several unanswered issues about the terrorist act, crucial among them: whether or not there was any local support? </p><p>Though more than a decade has passed since the 26-29 November, 2008 commando raid by 10 fidayeens as part of the terror project, several questions still remain answered. </p><p>Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and his friend David Coleman Headley alias Daood Sayed Gilani, a Pakistani-American, were the two players who were in touch with <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/lashkar-e-taiba">Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)</a> and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) bosses, besides people in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani spy agency. </p><p>After his extradition to India, Rana has been remanded to the custody of the NIA for 18 days. </p><p>While Headley entered into a plea bargain, turned approver and testified before a court in Mumbai via video-conferencing and spilled the beans on the larger story, the testimony of Rana will help Indian agencies connect the dots further. </p>.NIA takes Tahawwur Rana into 18-day custody; to question him to unravel conspiracy behind 26/11 attacks.<p>Here are the unanswered questions: </p>.<p>Were Headley and Rana equal partners in the crime or who had helped them? As his cover, Headley worked in Tardeo-based immigration facilitation agency, Immigrant Law Centre as a representative of US-based immigration firm First World Immigration Services which was owned by Rana. Who among the duo came was first to come in contact with the ISI?</p>.<p>What was Rana’s exact location when the 26/11 terror attacks were taking place. Was he in touch with the LeT and the Karachi-based control room? Headley was fully aware of the control room and its activities. </p>.<p>Was there any local support? Late Hasan Gafoor, the then Mumbai Police Commissioner had said in February 2009 that there were “14-16 locals” involved in the attack.</p><p>There has been nothing concrete on this issue. </p><p>However, two accused Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Shaikh - who were tried along with Ajmal Kasab - stand acquitted. Another Indian accused, Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who provided key inputs on the masterminds of the attack, is facing trial.</p>.<p>Did the Central agencies and Mumbai police fail to decipher intelligence? According to multiple reports, the Mumbai Police had received more than a dozen secret intelligence alerts from 2006—2008 on the likelihood of a major attack. </p><p>The alerts should have alarmed the government. Whether the Headley-Rana duo, being associated with the Pakistani army earlier, had provided inputs to avoid detection.</p>.<p>How did the boat come in undetected in the highly-guarded Mumbai coast? The group of Pakistan terrorists used the sea route to launch the attacks. The group hijacked an Indian boat, Kuber, killing four of its crew, and finally used rafts to reach the shores of Mumbai. </p><p>How did the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Maharashtra Police miss it? In fact, Headley during his reconnaissance missions plotted coordinates through GPS, briefed Rana and then passed onto LeT.</p>.<p>Besides LeT founder Hafeez Muhammad Saeed alias Hafiz Saab, and LeT’s operations commander Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhvi, what was the role of other key plotters - Abu Al Kama alias Amjid, Abu Kaahfa, Mujjamil alias Yusuf, Zarar Shah,Abu Fahad Ullah, Abu Abdul Rehman, Abu Anas, Abu Bashir, Abu Imran, Abu Mufti Saeed, Hakim Saab, Yusuf, Mursheed, Aakib, Abu Umar Saeed, Usman, Major General Sahab (name not known), Kharak Singh, Mohammed Ishfak, Hakim Sahib and others? </p>.<p>What was ISI's plan? Were the locations that were attacked the only planned targets, or were there other places in India that couldn't be target as planned? Whether strategic and military establishments too were on the radar of ISI?</p>.<p>After the attacks were complete, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians "deserved it." In an intercepted conversation with Headley, Rana allegedly commended the nine LeT terrorists who had been killed committing the attacks, saying that "[they should be given Nishan-e-Haider" —Pakistan's "highest award for gallantry in battle," which is reserved for fallen soldiers.</p>