LeT was unhappy for not including Mumbai airport in target list: Headley

Purchased sacred thread from Siddhivinayak temple to cover attackers, David Headley tells Mumbai court.

Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the prime accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, continued his deposition on Friday for the fourth day before a court via video-conferencing.

Making fresh disclosures before the special court, Headley said that Lashkar-e-Taiba was unhappy that Mumbai airport was not included as one of the targets in 26/11 terror attacks.

Revealing the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks, Headley said he visited Gateway of India, Cuffe Parade and Worli to select the landing site for attackers and later finalised Cuffe Parade.

“Cuff Parade was selected as a landing site because there was a 'technical advantage' as the place is surrounded by shanties,” said Headley.

LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi wanted Gateway of India to be the landing site but Headley was against it because to reach there the attackers had to take a route that passes through Navy installations and their chances of being caught were high.

Headley told the court that he also visited Siddhivinayak temple and had purchased red and yellow sacred threads as a cover for the 10 attackers so that people would think they were Hindus. He also explained this to ISI and LeT handlers and they liked the idea.

“Siddhivinayak temple and Naval Air Station were dropped from the target list as these places were heavily guarded,” added Headley.

Headley said that Chabad House was selected by LeT as a target as it was an international location where Jewish and Israeli people were staying.

“Lakhvi emphasised that surveillance for 26/11 attacks should be done properly as this was a chance to take revenge for all bomb blasts India had done in the past in Pakistan,” Headley told the cour