LeT hit Mumbai in Nov after two failed attempts in Sept, Oct

From Lalit K Jha and Himani Kumar
Chicago, May 27 (PTI) After two failed attempts to
strike Mumbai in September and October 2008, the Pakistani
handlers of the 26/11 accused David Headley began planning the
attack on India's financial capital "more closely than ever"
in early November that year.
Testifying before a Chicago court on the fourth-day of
the trial of co-accused Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana
Friday, Headley, 50, said the first planned attack was in
September, then in October and it finally happened in
November.
Sajid Mir, one of Headley's Pakistani handlers, told
him that the attack would occur on the 27th night of Ramadan
(considered as the night of glory in Islamic calender), which
in 2008 would fall on September 29, according to documents
presented to the court earlier.
However, the plan had to be abandoned as the boat
carrying the attackers got stuck on a rock and was destroyed,
the court documents said.
"Sajid told Headley that everyone on board survived,
in part because they had life vests. Headley subsequently met
with (Major Abdur Rehman) Pasha and told him about the failed
attempt. Pasha said that the failed attempt was a sign that
God was not happy with Lashkar," it said.
Sajid told Headley that there would be a second
attempt at the Mumbai attack in October 2008. Soon thereafter,
Sajid told Headley that the second attempt also failed.
The attackers on board the boat had spotted an Indian
fishing vessel and attempted to open fire on it, but the
vessel escaped.
"Sajid said that the 'boys' were demoralised and sent
back to a safe house in Karachi," the court papers said.
During Friday's deposition, Headley told the court
that "on the 9th of November his Pakistani handlers were
working on it (attack) more closer than ever."
Headley also told the court that there was a plan to
hit Mumbai in May 2008 but it was postponed due to inclement
weather. "During the briefings that I had in Pakistan they did
not consider that period safe to travel to the sea," he said.
It was on November 26, 2008, Headley received a text
message from Sajid with words to the effect of "turn on your
TV." Headley then learned that the attacks had begun,
according to the court papers.
When asked by Defence Attorney Patrick W Belgan if he
was still proud of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people
including six American nationals, Headley said, "No".
Headley, who carried our extensive surveillance of the
strike site for months before the attacks by LeT, said he was
"proud" of what he did at the time of the attacks.
People, who knew that he was involved in the planning
stage of the strike sent him congratulatory messages after the
Mumbai mayhem, including Pasha, his wife Shazia and Sajid Mir,
Headley said.
Questioning of Headley would resume on Tuesday.
Earlier, responding to questions from Belgan, Headley
said he feels that the Mumbai attacks were in retaliation of
the alleged killing of people by the Indian Army in Kashmir.