Deposition of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley in the 26/11 terror attack case was adjourned on Wednesday because of a technical issue and it is likely to continue on Thursday.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that there was technical problem in the US because of which they could not connect and the video call was not made. He added they would continue on Thursday.
Headley has been deposing for the past two days before additional sessions judge GA Sanap in the case in which another LeT operative Abu Jundal alias Zabiuddin Ansari is facing trial.
On Tuesday before the end of the session, Headley was last asked if he was paid by LeT and ISI - he replied not correct. He is likely to be confronted on this point on Thursday.
As per NIA chargehsheet, in or about July 2006, Major Iqbal provided $25,000 to Headley in Pakistan for the purpose of establishing an immigration office in Mumbai and for his travel. Major Iqbal also provided Headley with sufficient high quality fake Indian currency notes for use in India.
This was not the only time; Headley was also paid approximately 1500 USD worth Indian currency to keep the immigration office running in Mumbai. He was to eventually close the Mumbai office and open a new business in Delhi that would be used as a ruse for future activities.
{{/usCountry}}This was not the only time; Headley was also paid approximately 1500 USD worth Indian currency to keep the immigration office running in Mumbai. He was to eventually close the Mumbai office and open a new business in Delhi that would be used as a ruse for future activities.
{{/usCountry}}Headley said he visited Mumbai seven times on recce before the dreadful attacks of November 26, 2008. He said he came to Mumbai for the first time on September 14, 2006 and later on February 21, 2007.
Headley made three more trips in 2007 – in March, September and October. He came back twice in 2008 before the attacks – in April and July. Post the attacks, he came back to India on March 7, 2009, landing at the Delhi airport.
Headley however said he was trained by the LeT in the Daura-e-Sufa – a study course involving religious indoctrination at Muridke, Daura-e-Aam – preliminary military training, and Daura-e-Khas – more advance military training in handling weapons, arms, ammunition and explosives. Though, Headley wanted to go to ‘Azad Kashmir’ and fight the Indian army, he underwent Daura-e-Ribat that focuses on intelligence gathering, after he was told that he was “too old for taking up combat task”. He said the last training course included expertise on setting up a safe house in an unfriendly or enemy area, post which his handler Sajid Mir asked him to “settle down” in India.
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Read: LeT wanted Headley to infiltrate Indian defence establishment