The Pakistani intelligence agency – ISI was heavily involved in preparations for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. This has been disclosed in classified Indian government documents obtained by British newspaper 'The Guardian'. The newspaper said that a 109-page report into the interrogation of key suspect David Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist arrested last year and detained in the US, makes detailed claims of ISI support for the attacks. The report said, during questioning, Headley gave details of dozens of meetings between officers of the ISI and senior militants from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, LeT responsible for the Mumbai attacks. Headley reportedly claimed that a key motivation for the ISI in aiding the attacks was to bolster militant organisations with strong links to the Pakistani state and security establishment who were being marginalised by more extreme radical groups. Headley told the investigators that the ISI hoped the Mumbai attack will slow or stop growing integration between groups active in Jammu and Kashmir and Taliban-based outfits in Pakistan and Afghanistan which are a threat to the Pakistani state. Headley, who undertook surveillance of the targets in Mumbai for the operation, claims that at least two of his missions were partly paid for by the ISI and that he regularly reported to the Pakistani spy agency. According to the report, European and American security services now fear that LeT is moving from what has been a largely regional agenda focused on Jammu and Kashmir to a global agenda involving strikes against the west or western interests. According to the report, Headley described meeting once with a “Colonel Kamran” from the Pak military intelligence service and having a series of meetings with a “Major Iqbal” and a “Major Sameer Ali”. Headley claimed that a fellow conspirator was handled by a Colonel Shah.
News On AIR | October 19, 2010 8:38 AM
ISI involved in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack: The Guardian