Was instructed by ISI to recruit Indian Army personnel: Headley tells court

The Asian Age Staff  | V Ravichander & Mohandas Pai

Headley said that he returned to India after 26/11 attacks despite having apprehensions of being arrested.

Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley (Photo: AFP)

Headley said that he returned to India after 26/11 attacks despite having apprehensions of being arrested.

Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley's deposition over the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack entered fifth day on Saturday.

LeT operative told the court that ISI's Major Iqbal had asked him to visit Indian Army's Southern Command headquarters in Pune.

“Major Iqbal wanted me to recruit Indian Army personnel to gain access to classified information,” said Headley.

“In Pune, I made a general video of the city including the Indian Army installation and the Chabad House,” added Headley.

Headley also told the court that after 26/11 attacks, he was continuously in touch with LeT's Sajid Mir and was concerned about the safety of Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.

The 55-year-old Headley said that he returned to India after 26/11 attacks despite having apprehensions of being arrested and hence he had prepared a will and sent it to his friend Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

On Friday, he had told the court about LeT and al-Qaeda’s further plans to target India post the 26/11 attacks including their intention to attack the then Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray or Shiv Sena Bhavan and other important establishments like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) in Mumbai, National Defence College in Delhi, as it was a high value target and all Chabad Houses (Jewish and Israeli community centres) in India.

Headley in his statement said that when he had gone to Pakistan in June he had met Major Sajid Mir, Abu Kahafa, Major Iqbal, Major Abdul Rehman Pasha and Zaki-ur-Rehma Lakhvi to show his recommended targets.

At this time Lakhvi had told him that it was a very important action and it should be done properly, “It will give us a chance to avenge all the bomb blasts India has perpetrated on Pakistan,” Lakhvi had told Headley.

Headley on Friday stated before the special judge GA Sanap that during his first visit when he was asked to make general video of Mumbai city, he had visited inside Shiv Sena Bhavan in 2007 and had prepared video of the Sena headquarters both from inside and outside.

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