Tahawwur was in Mumbai during 26/11 attack, aided Lashkar terrorists

Trusted by Pakistan, erstwhile sent connected covert cognition to Saudi Arabia

Tahawwur Hussain Rana. File photo

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a cardinal conspirator successful the 26/11 Mumbai attacks who was precocious extradited to India from the US aft a prolonged diplomatic and ineligible battle, has made startling revelations connected his connections with the Pakistan service and spy bureau ISI. He besides admitted to straight facilitating the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)-led battle that killed 166 persons successful Mumbai successful November 2008.

A Pakistani-origin Canadian national, Tahawwur is presently lodged successful Tihar Jail and is successful judicial custody. During interrogation by Mumbai Police Crime Branch officers successful the prison, helium admitted to being contiguous successful Mumbai during the attacks and supporting the Lashkar operatives.

Tahawwur told the investigators that helium was trusted by the Pakistanarmy and was erstwhile sent connected a covert ngo to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Officials said the revelation reaffirmed the long-suspected nexus betwixt the 26/11 attackers and Pakistan’s subject establishment.

The 63-year-old besides confessed to being portion of the operational readying of the attacks and conducting a reconnaissance of the high-value targets specified arsenic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. He besides admitted that helium and David Coleman Headley, his long-time person and co-conspirator, were trained by the LeT and worked successful adjacent coordination with ISI handlers.

Tahawwur was brought to India connected April 10 pursuing a landmark US Supreme Court ruling connected April 4 that cleared the way for his extradition. Upon his accomplishment successful New Delhi, helium was produced earlier a peculiar NIA court, which granted the bureau 18 days of custody, factoring successful aesculapian and ineligible considerations. Later, helium was sent to judicial custody.

Investigators said Tahawwur played a important relation successful enabling Headley—a US national who was calved Daood Gilani—to question to Mumbai nether the guise of a concern representative. “Tahawwur opened a subdivision of his migration steadfast successful Mumbai and appointed Headley its manager, contempt the second having nary inheritance successful the business. The bureau served arsenic a screen for Headley’s surveillance of imaginable targets, including hotels, Jewish centres and transport hubs,” the sources said.

Tahawwur besides allegedly helped Headley taxable fraudulent visa applications and provided documentation done his unsuspecting concern spouse to unafraid authorities clearances successful India. Headley reportedly kept Tahawwur afloat informed of his reconnaissance activities and Lashkar’s feedback, including elaborate updates connected the onslaught strategies.