Al-Qaeda leader Illiyas Kashmiri had offered Headley one lakh in Pakistani rupees for carrying out the attack.
Pakistani American terrorist David Headley had planned to attack India for the second time after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. For achieving this objective Headley had visited the country once again in March 2009 at the behest of Al-Qaeda. Headley claimed that LeT had come under scanner of the international community after the November 26, 2008 attacks. Al-Qaeda leader Illiyas Kashmiri had offered Headley one lakh in Pakistani rupees for carrying out the attack.
The 55-year-old, who has turned approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, stated this during a cross-examination on the second day by Abdul Wahab Khan, the lawyer of Abu Jundal, an alleged key plotter of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, via a video link from the US.
When asked by Khan as to how much money he had spent on his visit and reconnaissance in India prior to 26/11 attacks, Headley said, “I am not sure… Many lakhs were spent by me not as high as Rs 30-40 lakhs but much much less. It is correct that ISI spent this money but it is not correct that I demanded the money from them.”
“I think they (LeT) became soft about Denmark (Mickie mouse project) but not India. After the Denmark issue (LeT backing out from attacking Denmark) I went to Al-Qaeda, as LeT had become soft,” Headley told the court.
Headley told the court that while he had not personally met any of the 10 attackers in the 26/11 case but he had seen the photo of one of the attackers on internet and identified him as Ajmal Kasab ‘Rehmatullah Aliah’.
Defence Experts said the funding of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack operative David Coleman Headley to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) must be verified by the Government of India, adding that even if he had funded the LeT it must have been at the behest of the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“His funding to the LeT should be verified. We are yet to know whether these facts are true or not. The Government of India should find out from where he has raised this money, what were his businesses, are those businesses still continuing. We should wait and see because at times he is trying to show that he has funded, but what our information is that the ISI has funded his activities while he was staying in Bombay,” Defence Expert Qamar Agha said.
Headley, however, refused to answer questions about his wife Shazia and reveal her location, whether she is in the US or Pakistan, or her father’s name.
“Shazia is still my legally wedded wife. I do not want to disclose Shazia’s location at present. I do not want to answer any question about my wife Shazia,” he said.
When Khan continued questioning him on Shazia, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam took objection to it and said that under Section 122 of the Indian Evidence Act, the communication between a husband and wife is a privileged one and need not be disclosed.
