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  India   Hated India since childhood, wanted to cause maximum damage: Headley

Hated India since childhood, wanted to cause maximum damage: Headley

AGE CORRESPONDENT
Published : Mar 25, 2016, 11:04 am IST
Updated : Mar 25, 2016, 11:04 am IST

Hated India since my school was bombed in 1971, David Headley tells Mumbai court.

 Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley (Photo: PTI/File)
  Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley (Photo: PTI/File)

Hated India since my school was bombed in 1971, David Headley tells Mumbai court.

Mumbai: Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley on Friday expressed his vehement hatred for India, saying that ever since Indian planes bombed his school and people working there died during the India Pakistan war in 1971, he was looking for revenge which led to him joining the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

“Since childhood I have hatred against India and Indians and I wanted to cause maximum loss and damage. I have hated India because my school was bombed on December 7, 1971 by Indian planes...the school was destroyed and people who worked there died,” said Headley, who is serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people in 2008.

Headley had on Thursday specifically named late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and said that Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) wanted to target the leader. Headley also mentioned about a person who attempted to kill Bal Thackeray and was detained by the police, but escaped from police custody.

While answering questions asked by advocate Khan Abdul Wahab, the defence lawyer of Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, Headley revealed some new important facts, including that his visit for reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai for the 26/11 terror attack was funded by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.

“LeT wanted to eliminate Shiv Sena chief His name was Bal Thackeray,” said Headley when the defence lawyer asked him the purpose of his visit to Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar. When asked if LeT made any more attempts on Bal Thackeray’s life, Headley replied that he did not have first-hand knowledge of it, but according to him there was an attempt on his life and the person who tried to attack him was detained by the police and escaped from custody later. Headley could not furnish any further details about this attempt. He also said that he had visited Shiv Sena Bhavan twice and he was not aware who else was on LeT’s list apart from Bal Thackeray.