Live: Pak ex-PM visited my house after father’s death in 2008: Headley

Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley said before a Mumbai court on Friday he had arranged a fund-raising programme for the Shiv Sena in the US and had disclosed this to Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley told a Mumbai court on Friday that he joined the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba to “take revenge” for a bombing at his school in December 1971 “by Indian planes.”

Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley said before a Mumbai court on Friday he had arranged a fund-raising programme for the Shiv Sena in the US and had disclosed this to Lashkar-e-Taiba.(PTI File Photo)

He was being cross-examined for the third day on Monday:

• 11.19am - I have never been to any rehabilitation centre: Headley.
• 11.18am - It’s not true that I was treated for mental illness in 1992. It’s not true that I was suffering from mixed personality disorder: Headley.
• 11.16am - I did not meet special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and joint commissioner of police Atulchandra Kulkarni before giving testimony in this court: Headley.
• 11.13am - They (NIA) didn’t ask me about Ishrat so I didn’t tell them. I was replying to their question, not giving a speech that I should have taken her (Ishrat’s) name: Headley.
• 11.10am - During Rana’s trial inthe United States,I didn’t testify about any women’s cell/women’s suicide bomber cell, as I had no knowledge about any such cell in LeT: Headley.
• 11.07am - NIA asked me about Ishrat, so I replied to their questions: Headley.
• 11.06am - I didn’t take Ishrat’s name during Tahawwur Rana’s trial in US as I wasn’t asked about that. I was only replying to what I was asked: Headley.
• 10.58am - They (NIA) asked me questions and I replied. Why would they prompt me to take Ishrat’s name?: Headley
• 10.56am - NIA didn’t suggest I take Ishrat Jahan’s name, says Headley.

  10.08am - I was arrested in Pakistan once, a case was registered by my ex-wife Faiza: Headley

• 10.07am - I have never been interrogated or questioned in connection with the 9/11 US attacks.
• 10.07am - Headley says his father was retired DG Radio Pakistan, and he died on December 25, 2008.
• 10.06am - I told my father about my association with LeT, I told him myself. My father had objections with my association with LeT
• 10.05am - My father, brother and some other of my relatives were in the Pakistan establishment but I can’t disclose their details.
• 10.02am - Headley tells court Pakistan then prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani visited his house after the death of his father. This visit was after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
• 9.10am - I joined Lashkar-e-Taiba to avenge those bombings on my school. This was one of the reasons why I joined LeT.
• 9.08am - I have this hatred towards India since December 7, 1971, when Indian planes bombed my school and people who worked there died
• 9.07am - Headley says: “I have hatred towards Indian since my childhood and I have pleaded guilty to that”.
• 9am - “It’s not true that I’m living a luxurious life in the US prison”.
• 8.55am - “I cannot disclose location of my jail where I’m lodged in. I can’t reveal what facilities I’m getting here”.
• Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley said before a Mumbai court on Friday he had arranged a fund-raising programme for the Shiv Sena in the US and had disclosed this to Lashkar-e-Taiba.

On Thursday, Headley told the court the LeT wanted to eliminate Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray but the person who was assigned the job to kill him was “arrested”.

Read: LeT hitman sent to kill Bal Thackeray was arrested but escaped: Headley

The 55-year-old, who has turned approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, is being cross-examined 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.

Headley also told the court he had visited the Sena Bhavan twice. He, however, did not specify the year for the same.

“We (LeT) wanted to target the chief of Shiv Sena...His name was Bal Thackeray. LeT wanted to kill him wherever a chance arose. I knew that Bal Thackeray was the head of Shiv Sena. I have no first-hand knowledge but I think an attempt was made by LeT to kill Bal Thackeray,” he said.

“I don’t know how this attempt was made. I think the person (who was sent to kill Thackeray) was arrested but he managed to escape from police custody. I don’t have first-hand knowledge about this though,” he said.

Headley, convicted in the US for his role in 26/11 Mumbai attacks, also told special judge G A Sanap, who is hearing the 26/11 terror case against Jundal in a sessions court here, that he does not know who else was a target of LeT apart from Thackeray.

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.”

Headley said that after the 26/11 attacks, when he had come to India again (in March 2009) at the behest of al Qaeda to carry out further attacks, its leader Illiyas Kashmiri gave him about Pakistani rupees one lakh.

He claimed while LeT came under the scanner of international community after the November 26, 2008 attacks, it was not correct to say that LeT became “soft” towards India.

“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.