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ISI wanted to target Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai claimed David Headley

David Headley, the Pakistani-American ISI terrorist told the courts via video conferencing from the US that, ISI and LeT wanted to target the Siddhivinayak Temple
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David Headley, the Pakistani-American ISI terrorist told the courts via video conferencing from the US that, ISI and LeT wanted to target the Siddhivinayak Temple and Naval air base in Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attack. He had also video graphed the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai.

According to the news published by the PTI news agency, Headley was deposing via video-link from the US. He also supposedly told the court that, he was interested in developing the close relations with Shiv Sena member as he deliberated that LeT would be targeting either Sena Bhavan or assassinate its head. David is the major conspire behind the plotting of the 2008 attack on Mumbai. Daood Sayed Gilani alias David Headley is an American terrorist of Pakistani origin who was closely connected with the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) and ISI.

[su_expand more_text=”READ MORE” less_text=” ” height=”0″ hide_less=”yes” link_style=”button” link_align=”center”] According to the deposition of Headley, Major Iqbal was not happy with him since he did not select the Mumbai airport in the list of targets for 26/11 attack. “I have video graphed the BARC at Trombay in Mumbai in July 2008 and LeT had also asked me to recruit the employees of BARC who would work for ISI,” said Headley.

55-year-old Headley had turned an approver in the 26/11 case had told the court that, he had recced Mumbai after having several meeting in Pakistan with LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajid Mir, Abu Kahfa Rehman Pasha and Major Iqbal. Headley also revealed that during his visits to Mumbai in July 2008, prior to 26/11 attacks, he had surveyed and Video graphed the Chabad House in south Mumbai. “I was not aware of who was staying in the place then, Sajid Mir and Pasha told me to survey, saying that it is an international location,” he said.

Headley also claimed that he only discouraged LeT about the Naval Base and Siddhivinayak Temple as targets for the 26/11 attack. “I told them that ten attackers will not be sufficient to handle the Naval Base and Siddhivinayak temple,” he said. He further confessed that had gone to Siddhivinayak temple and purchased the red and yellow wrist bands, “I forgot the name of it, but I thought it would help the 10 youths (Terrorists) who would wear them as cover so that people think they were Indians,” he said.

It looks like he was contradicting his own statements. First he said that he discouraged the terrorists from attacking temple while on the other hands he was saying that he made all the arrangements of the attacks. “Nobody asked me to do so. I saw the man selling those bands outside the temple and the thought came into my mind. When I returned to Pakistan I gave it to Sajid Mir and explained him about the value of it. I told him that Hindus wear it in India and it will help the attackers as after wearing the bands they will look like Hindus,” he said.

Headley also revealed that during his visit to Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai he made the purchase of few books from the shop at the Hotel. “During my visit to Taj Hotels I visited the Nalanda Book Shop, where I purchased five books out of which one of them was ‘Indian Army Vision 2020’ that helped me a lot to understand the progress of Indian Army in the future,” he said. When judge G A Sanap asked him as why he purchased rest of the four books he replied saying “They were just pictorial and beautiful.”

He told the court reason behind selecting the locations of Cuff Parade due to its easy accessibility through the shanties and hutments spread across in that area. “I thought it could be the tactical advantage to the terrorists,” he said. According to him, he also visited the US but could not able to meet Tahawwur Rana (his business partner) but Headley spoke to him over the phone. “I told him I went to India and selected the landing site,” he said.

“Zaki-ul-Rehman’ wanted to finalize Gateway of India for the landing of 10 terrorists as it was very close to Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. I, however, convinced him that it is not the good idea as attackers would require to through Gateway of India by crossing naval installation and they could be detected hence Zaki Saheb and others finally agreed to my suggestions.” He said adding when Zaki Saheb saw the targets selected by him, he said this was very important and needs to be handled properly.

According to him, Zaki was taking the revenge of all the bomb blast that India did in Pakistan in the past. “Zaki Saheb wished me the good luck,” Said Headley who is serving 35-year prison in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks which reportedly killed 166 people mainly US citizens.

Source: PTI   [/su_expand]

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