Posted on 12/20/2009 8:05:01 AM PST by cold start
NEW DELHI: India is looking forward to getting from FBI the voice recordings of the phone conversations between David Headley and his Pakistani handlers to ascertain the identity of those who sent out instructions to the perpetrators of 26/11. Sources said that Indian agencies want to compare them with the voice recordings of the 26/11 masterminds to find out if these men indeed were Headley's handlers too.
The US agency has in its possession recordings of Headley's conversations with LeT member A, not yet identified, and individual A identified by the FBI as Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Pasha. Pasha is said to be the link between Headley and Ilyas Kashmiri and the person who had informed Rana in advance during a meeting in Dubai that the Mumbai attack was happening.
Indian agencies are particularly interested in the identity of LeT member A who is believed to be none other than retired Pakistan army major Sajid Mir, one of the men who allegedly directed the 26/11 terrorists in Mumbai over phone while they were carrying out the attacks. In case the voice sample of informer A matches with that of any of the 26/11 masterminds, it would confirm India's own estimate that it was Mir who choreographed the Mumbai massacre last year.
It will also expose Pakistan since Mir is said to have been in Pakistan custody for several months now for his alleged involvement in 26/11. It would mean that despite being in custody of Pakistan agencies for a terror attack, the Lashkar jehadi was allowed to freely communicate with Headley.
According to security expert B Raman, it is doubtful whether or not the US would share the voice recordings with India. ``If it doesn't, that would show that the co-operation is even now not whole-hearted despite the improvement and that the keenness to protect the Pakistani State from adverse consequences still influences US decisions vis-a-vis counter-terrorism co-operation with India,'' says Raman.
As is now evident, Headley and Rana's links with Mir run deep. According to FBI, Headley sent an email to LeT member A or Mir in which he said that he and Rana had heard some ``music videos'' on Internet. This was apparently a coded reference to conversations between Mir and Mumbai attackers which had been broadcast by the media.
The email also brings out Rana's admiration for Mir. Headley said in the email that Mir had been named Mir Khalid bin Waleed by Rana because of his achievements in carrying out terror attacks. Khalid bin Waleed is remembered in the Islamic world for his military prowess and as the man who commanded Prophet Mohammad's forces.
During the car conversation recorded by the FBI, Rana asked Headley to pass on a message to Mir that the Lashkar was the best among jehadi commanders. Rana says in the conversation that Mir was the best ``in the world, if there had been...a medal for command, top class''. When Headley told him that he had already conveyed to Mir that he had been named Khalid bin Waleed, Rana responded by saying that it was a ``very befitting name''. During this conversation, it is clear that Rana had given the name to Mir for his role in the Mumbai attacks and not, as he claimed, just for his role in ``freedom fighting'' in Kashmir.
The recording of the conversation between Headley and Tahawwur Rana while on a drive on September 7 this year, taped clandestinely by the FBI, too will be sought from the FBI.
Let the “dot” Indians eat steak!
Unfortunately, this probably has to go through the White House. I doubt that Obama is on the same side as those who want to catch terrorists.
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