National Defense College is a target in near future: Headley

From Lalit K Jha
Washington, May 25 (PTI) Mumbai attacks co-accused
David Headley Wednesday testified that New Delhi-based
National Defence College is on the hit-list of terrorists as
26/11 mastermind Illiyas Kashmiri believes in this way he can
kill more Indian brigadiers than what the Pakistan Army could
not do in four wars with India.
Within a few months of the Mumbai terror attacks (in
the western Indian state Maharashtra), Kashmiri, who has now
emerged as mastermind of 26/11, met Headley, and asked him to
go to India again to do surveillance of the National Defence
College in New Delhi and a number of Chhabad Houses in various
cities of India.
When Headley, accompanied by Pasha, went to see
Kashmiri in Waziristan in February 2009, he among the
Lashkar-e-Taiba circles had emerged as a "surveillance expert"
thus a key element of the planning of the terrorist attack.
"Kashmiri asked me to return to India. He said that
his leadership was very upset about the recent Israeli strike
on the Gaza strip and (thus) wanted retaliation," Headley said
in response to a question, adding that Kashmiri wanted him to
identify the Chhabad houses in India.
On the way back he was given a list of Chhabad houses
in India by Pasha.
Headley said since he was coming to India again, he
was asked by Kashmiri to also visit National Defence College,
which he described as a prestigious Indian institution that
teaches high level army offices, Colonels and above.
Pasha told him that if "we were able to conduct"
attack on NDC then "we will be able to kill more Brigadiers
than Pakistan has done in the four wars" with India. Following the instructions from his handlers, Headley
carried out surveillances of Chhabad houses in Delhi, Pushkar
and Goa, along with that of the National Defence College.
He again went to Pakistan to hand over to them the
surveillance materials including pictures and videos.
He shared the NDC videos with Pasha, who was very
happy with the materials and told Headley that he would
definitely work on this target.
When asked how serious Pasha was on this project,
Headley said: "What I got from him that it would be a target
in the near future."
It is important for not only Pasha, but also him,
Headley stressed.
When Headley, shared the NDC plan with Rana, he
said: "This would be a big deal".
However, he did not talk about the Chhabad house
attacks.
The Mumbai terrorist suspect said that he was afraid
of going back to India at this point of time.
Why?, he was asked.
"Because I have been coming in and out of India before
the (Mumbai) attack, conducted the surveillance, (so I was)
was concerned about being apprehended in India during the
travel," he said.
But since this was a mission, he decided to go, not
before sending an email to Tahawwur Rana and asking him what
needs to be done in the event if his death and how to
distribute money or take care the well being of his wives and
children.
"I am travelling and things are so bad these days, I
would like to leave a few instructions with you in case of my
death or if I am anticipated for some reason," Headley wrote
to Rana on March 3, 2009 in an email. Inquiring about the whereabouts of Pasha, Headley
wrote in his email on July 20, 2009, to one Sameer Ali: "I
know, he was working with some Colonel from your department.
He had some people in Karachi who were Indian citizens and
wanted to work for us in their own country."
"But few weeks ago I heard Major was picked up by
'Counter' guys of your department in Pindi (Rawalpindi). I
just want to know his situation, so I could know if we will be
using him anymore or we have to work without him," Headley
wrote.
On August 4, 2009 Sameer Ali responded by saying that
"Your friend that you asked about has reached home yesterday".
When questioned by federal prosecutors, Headley said
that Sameer Ali was also a Major and an associate of Major
Iqbal, thus implying that Major Ali was also an ISI official.
Asked about the Karachi-based Indians mentioned in his
email, Headley said that they are Indian citizens living in
Karachi and want to help the Pakistanis in carrying out the
terrorist strike.
India has long maintained that its most wanted
fugitive and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is based in Karachi
and has been working with the ISI and Pak-based terrorist
outfits to carry out terrorist strikes in India.
"He (Pasha) had some (Indian) nationals in Karachi to
carry out attacks in India," he added.