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When the police reached there, the commander of the terrorist group that called itself Al-Hadid — essentially it was a Harkat-ul Ansar-Harkat-ul Jihad-al-Islami operation — had just stepped out with his trusted lieutenant Omar Saeed Sheikh. The police confronted them as they returned and, in the gunbattle that ensued, Sheikh was injured and arrested but the commander escaped. He was none other than Ilyas Kashmiri. Omar Sheikh was later released in exchange for passengers aboard the hijacked IC-814 at Kandahar.
Kashmiri is the common thread that runs between Sheikh and David Coleman Headley, arrested by FBI for plotting terror attacks on India at the behest of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Both were Pakistan-born anglicized youth, equally committed and skilled in understanding and adapting to the ways of the West. They did not fit the traditional description of a jihadi terrorist, yet were very effective in planning attacks.
Kashmiri, who was once the head of the infamous 313 brigade and the HuJI that carried out attacks in Kashmir, always looked for recruits with such attributes that allowed them to move under the radar, contributing to his terror missions abroad.
Headley or Daood Gilani was no exception. The FBI believes he is an alumnus of the Cadet College in Hassan Abdal, Pakistan which is very much like India’s military schools that train young children to join the Army. But Gilani moved to the US and then changed his identity in 2006. His cover for travels abroad was that of a representative of First Immigration Services, a company run by co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana.
Headley used “doctor” and “Pir Sahib” as the codewords for his patron-in-chief Ilyas Kashmiri. On September 13, amid press reports of Kashmiri’s death in a drone attack, he spoke to his contact in Pakistan who informed him that the “doctor may have got married there”. A distraught Headley shot back, “so it means our company has gone into bankruptcy then”.
FBI investigators believe that “getting married” was coded language for dying or having achieved martyrdom. This 13-minute phone call, according to the FBI, ended at 5.09 pm Chicago time and at 5.12 pm Headley did a Google search for Ilyas Kashmiri to read the latest reports. He repeated the search three days later on September 16 at 7.29 pm and accessed reports on Kashmiri’s alleged death.
The next day he again spoke to his Pakistan contact and said: “It is everywhere now... their marriage has been confirmed”. In the same conversation, a shaken Headley wanted to even fold up their activities. “But now there is nothing to do there. Now let us collect unemployment from the company... when a company lays off in case of bankruptcy, it discharges employees”. When his contact tried to console him that this was not a big loss to their effort, Headley replied: “No, it’s not a small loss, it is a major loss.”
On September 19, he spoke to a “family member” close to Kashmiri and said, “He was our Pir Sahib where you and I went... and we did baiat (oath of allegiance)” he just had a heart attack. It has made me very sad”. But on September 21, he got a call from his first Pakistani contact, who tells him that fresh reports indicate that Kashmiri is still alive. Headley could not control his emotions, “Buddy if this is true, then I will say a 100 prayers, a 100 prayers.”
It was not until September 30 that Headley got final confirmation of Kashmiri being alive. Excited, he made his contact swear several times on the veracity of the information and remarks, “So, he does not get married... so I will be able to meet him upon returning (to Pakistan)”. The reply is in the positive: “Absolutely right, he just today was asking about you”.
On October 3, Headley was off to Chicago’s O’ Hare International airport to board a flight for Philadelphia on his way to Pakistan — it was then that the FBI nabbed him, fearing he may not return for long or they may lose track of him.
Indian investigators believe that Headley, who had spent considerable amount of time and energy surveying targets in Copenhagen was under instructions to put the plan on hold and would have received fresh orders to go to India for attacks there. The Lashkar-e-Toiba member, who was in touch with Headley, had been persuading him to focus on India but FBI investigations suggest Headley was more keen on going ahead with Copenhagen, what he described as the “northern project” and the “mickey mouse project”.
This conflict comes to fore during that week in September when Headley is distraught by news of Kashmiri’s death. His undisclosed Pakistani contact, who is known to Kashmiri as well as the LeT, asks Headley to now reach out to his LeT contact. In that conversation, Headley complains that LeT’s eyes are “again in that direction”. This is important because the LeT contact, as recorded in FBI’s affidavits, had spoken last to Headley about revisiting “Rahul’s city”, a pointer to targeting India.
Headley also did not have a high opinion of his LeT contact, describing him as a person with “rotten guts” in the same conversation with his Pakistani contact, who does not disagree and says, “They do not want to take risks and want to be praised also”. To this, Headley responds: “Then there will be no profit because when you have high aims, as much as an investment will be risky as much is the chance of profits and at the same time there is chance of loss.”
Talk about a fresh attack on India figured first on July 3 when Headley’s LeT contact sent him an email inquiring about “new investment plans” even as Headley was working on the Copenhagen plan. He then asked Headley to revisit “Rahul’s city”, adding that “matters were good enough to move forward”. Headley asks a clarification on whether moving forward meant “towards Rahul” to the North. The reply came: “towards Rahul”.
Headley then asks a few pointed questions about the purpose of the visit and then whether the “northern project” was postponed. He never got a clear answer though he repeatedly asked the question in the email exchange that continued until August-end. At that point, FBI believes, the LeT contact was kept out of the Copenhagen plan. But Headley did tell his LeT contact that he will discuss the plans about “Rahul’s city” when they meet September-end.
While Indian investigators are moving on the assumption that Headley was a LeT member, the best understanding of Headley’s role comes from Headley himself in a September 20 conversation in coded language with one of Kashmiri’s “family members” when it was believed that Kashmiri was dead and Headley was gradually overcoming the “grief”.
“The main thing is business must go on. Main thing is I have some income... make some money. I don’t care if I am working for Microsoft or I am working for a GE or Philips, I don’t care. As long as I am making money, I don’t give a shit,” said Headley, leading FBI to conclude that in the end it did not matter to him whether he was working for Kashmiri’s group or the LeT.
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It doesn't matter what we all say on this thread,unless the masses of India wake up and realise that we have a problem with Islamic Terrorism in India. From the day one when India was partitions we had attacks from Pakistan,first into Kashmir,India should have thrown Muslims attackers out of Kashmir.Kashmiri problem will never going to be solved ever.Until Congress remain in power nothing will be done to eliminate Islamic terrorism from India.In my opinion Gandhi and Nehru were the worst people we had at the time of Independence.For Non Muslims of India to call Gandhi Father of nation is shame. India MUST learn from Israel how to survive and fight back, they don't pussy foot around, and the Arabs/muslims know that.
All options are open, but our poor commonman did not understand what the various Ministers meant by uttering that word. Whether the policemen or the armyman or even for that matter the US capture and hand over the terrorists, WE WILL NEVER KILL/EXECUTE THEM, because violance is not part of India. But at the same time, the Pakistani backed terrorists are free and welcome to come to India and kill our unarmed innocent civilions, we wont respond, NOT OUR CULTURE. Kargil, we gave them a SAFE PASSAGE, does India has any credibility in the world because of these cowardiest political leaders ruling our country????
Beyond any doubt India has become a Den for terroists and criminals of every sort who sneak from all sides into our holy-land left untended by polticians,especially of Congress who live and die for selfish motives and are least qualified to deal with such menacious problems.Enough is said by readers and other citizens who are really concerned and have some patriotism and nationalism running through veins.Congress had never worked with/for interests of the nation and the last six years are the worst example of their inefficiency and nonconcern.Perhaps the breeding centre of Terroists/ism,Pakistan,has some reasons but Indian cong/UPA is nurturing them and has given whole India as play ground where they can test and master their skill to terrorize.The püolitical moarality both internal and international has sunk to the lowest.The minister don't even know about their portfolios and intervene the things they aren't either qualified or entrusted to.The country needs strong leadership not PM
Our Home Minister had consistently maintained that the LeT planned 26/11 attackers had no links ( like harbourers, financiers, helpers, gun runners, suppliers, and internet operators) inside the country. This stand led to complacency with regard to investigation of external links of the LeT operatives. Now thanks to the FBI%u2019s detailed investigation into the 26/11, it transpires that the main conspirators were based not only in Pakistan but also in the US and India and had made several trips to India, US and Pakistan to tie up the loose ends of the conspiracy and make the attacks not only absolutely foolproof but also extremely lethal. I am sure that the attackers had internal links too or else why were the Pak-American conspirators making so many trips to Mumbai? Let our Home Minister now get on with the further investigation seriously and make India%u2019s many intelligence agencies to dig out the still hidden strands of the conspiracy that dealt a crushing blow to India%u2019s self-esteem.
Rahul, the son of arrogant director Mahesh butt should be put into Narco test; We can assume that this family have lot of illicit contacts with gang groups.
USA is generally considered as the saviour of pakis; and therefore many pakis are given US nationality and their names are changed to british styles for a few bucks by which the pakis are able to carry out their terrorist acttivities. The saviour do not understand the damages caused to their land's safety by these pakis. Here, in India the congress leadership is infested with slyboots and cunning men who are very clever to install their serviles in the chair of India's President & PM who will just remain as silent spectators while the so called cunning band of leaders could easily carry out their lucrative agenda leaving the nation's safety at risk. This is what happens in India. Since the great majority of Indians are illiterate, it will take long time for them to understand these menace in Indian politics, and so, the present situation is likely to continue until such time someone honest to the nation takes over who will recognize and crush these political traitors.
Our PM HM FM will say all options are open. Even arrested and convicted ones are not punished by our secular parties In India BSF/Army Officers have no pivatol role to play, they have to obey HMV (HIS/HER MASTER'S VOICE) which hopelessly derailed the objective behind BSF and Army. It was first PM who created confusion and the same policy is followed by the succeeding Power brokers and as a result the BSF and Army are sacrificed at the cost of 'vote bank' and divisive policies which were sowed decades back and now we are reaping benefits thereof. It is high time public at large woke up and hold the power-hungry group to accountability then only will there be some sort of improvement otherwise we have to read, see 'breaking news' on various channels who are only interested in their TRP and not in welfare of our GREAT NATION kyon ki MERA BHARAT MAHAN.
These Islamic terrorists are running riots in India, they are present in every corner of India. Marathi and Tamil violence is the direct result of this Islamic terrorism. Crush the terrorism and do not worry about collateral damage or Balkanise India, choice is yours. Congress is responsible for this terrorism and Tamil and Marathi violence.
It is the attitude of "chalta hai" that is costing us dearly in every sphere. Pakis are more motivated, more focused. We have our politicians and bureaucrats who are far removed from reality and are living in their own world. They have no concern for "Aam Aadmi". Let the common man go to hell. There is no effective intelligence, hence it is a chance provided by Milkman that our agencies depend on. They are more busy in spying on opposition leaders that on enemies of country. As a country, we will not improve unless the focus is on Common Man. Bureaucrats have no accountability. Unless that is ensured, we will remain mediocre. We will need wake up calls through terrorist attacks only when we wake up for a while and after some time, it is back to "Normal" For decades we have ignored threats from Pakis. We still are doing the same. Our so called "Moderate" voices are calling for resuming dialogue with Pakistan!! All the best my fellow countrymen till the next attack takes place.
So, what's the big deal?? Dawood is not in Pakistan. 25 Years old story. Khalistan was not supported by Pakistan. Kargil was not done by Pakistan. Parliament was not attacked by Pakistan. Blasts after blasts, bullets in temples were not by pakistan. Terrorists did not came from Pakistan, but heaven!! Yet, War was not an option. What a restraint yaar?? So what is the big deal....with Headley? Afterall the disputed government is occupying the parliament anyways, which refuses to protect its own people. Relax, it's only the first year of new term, old term does not count!!! People who died do not matter. India as a nation does not matter....so relax...congress is only the axis of Islamic jehad related violence. Did PC not attend the fatwa ceremony of eulogizing National Anthem?? It's OK....
It is time we forgot about reservation of any kind and adopted a policy where everyone is equal. Economic background should be the only criteria. Government policieis nurtured by vested political interests are creating more and more monsters! The US policy to counter Soviets gave a fertile ground for the outfits to grow! Let us not be divisive on religious/linguistic/ethenic grounds! and fight these in-human monsters whose motive is to feast on innocents' misery.
a tag of US or canadian citizen, the congress govt will issue visa or do any damn thing. US will tell us later he was a terrorist. then we start investigation. it is a shame that our officers had to come empty handed from the USA, after the US authorities ignored indian investigative agencies saying they will go in accordance with their laws. that much respect US is giving to india. a pat on dr singh's back by Bush or Obama will take our PM to heaven, and that is enough for him to forget the indian laws. dont we have a law to monitor visa issuance, to check the antecedents of the applicants. more stringent control need to be exercised in issuance of visa, even if they are US citizens. all these are lessons dr singh should learn.
Islamic terrorism is the outcome of appeasement of muslims by congress government. It is exactly same as today congress is appeasing Marathism and other regionalistic forces who are challenging India's unity. Raj Thackeray is sowing the seeds of another India's partition. The seeds of venom and hatred sown by Raj,Bal and Uddhav Thackeray will become trees. ShivSena and MNS has criminals,mafias and dons working as their workers. As ShivSena and MNS are working as political parties thanks to the blessings of Congress these Marathi terrorsts has got the patronage.
Appeasement or wrong doings can't be the excuse for Islamic terrorism. These are done by negative thinking people who always thinks of destruction rather than constructive activities. Both Muslims and non-Muslims must ensure that these forces are eliminated. Religion shouldn't go beyond the 4 walls of house and temple/mosque.
Reading the news conveys the feeling of reading an interesting and terrifying fiction of the underworld of terrorism but sadly its a truth that people like omar and maulana masud make them real in my country. let us not forget to thank the milk man even though its belated.