Pak should expose conspiracy behind Mumbai terror attack: MEA

Headley revealed that when he was checking out the location at Siddhivinayak Temple, he had purchased the sacred threads that are normally tied around the wrist.

The terrorist-turned-approver also talked about the Lashkar plans to hit Mumbai’s famed Siddhi Vinayak Temple and attempts to recruit staffers from the sensitive Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to tap them for “classified information”. Giving details of his funding, Headley said, “Before coming to India in September 2006, he received $25,000 from ISI’s Major Iqbal”.

On reports that Pakistan government has dismissed evidence given by India in Pathankot terror attacks, Swarup said the NSAs of the two countries were in contact regarding the investigations and government will go by the official line and not by some media reports. “I felt that Major Iqbal was unhappy because Mumbai airport was not selected and included as one of the targets for the 26/11 attack”, Headley said.

Seeking an apology from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and other party leaders lined up to “weave a fictional tale” to target Modi, then Gujarat chief minister, BJP also virtually defended the police personnel arrested for killing Ishrat in an alleged fake encounter in 2004, saying the then UPA government made sure they were put behind bars.

Explaining about choosing Cuff Parade as a landing site for attackers he said, “I felt it gave a technical advantage because it was covered by shanties and there were small hutments”.

Headley picked up Ishrat’s name from the three options given to him to identify a woman who was part of a botched LeT operation and was killed in a police shoot-out.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Thursday alleged that a deal was signed that 26/11 conspirator David Coleman Headley would name Ishrat Jahan as a terrorist.

Headley said he discouraged the LeT about Naval air station and Siddhivinayak temple as targets for the attack.

Bihar Health Minister Tej Pratap on Friday called Ishrat Jahan “Bihar’s daughter”, a day after terror mastermind David Coleman Headley said she was an LeT suicide bomber.

Reiterating that it would continue to work with India to bring those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks to justice, the U.S. says it has encouraged collaboration between Pakistan and India on the case.

However, in 2007, the LeT, too, had plotted an attack on the NDC, he said. He also agreed to testify in any foreign judicial proceedings held in the United States by way of deposition, video-conferencing or letters rogatory when directed by the United States Attorney’s Office. Defence lawyer Abdul Wahab pointed out that in some places, as per procedure, Headley’s referring to documents was not being taken on record.

Headley also revealed that Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi spoke about Ishrat after the encounter. “In the light of Headley’s statement, if the government wants to investigate the matter further with regard to their credentials, there is absolutely nothing which stops it”, Tewari said.

“I met Rajaram Rege (PRO of Uddhav Thackeray) inside Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar.