US had financed his Pakistan trip.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
Pakistani American terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley said on Thursday that the militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had tried to assassinate Mumbai Based Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. But the attempt failed as the assassin got arrested before he could complete his mission. However, he managed to escape from police custody, Headley said.
“I don’t have first-hand knowledge. But yes, an attempt was made to kill Bal Thackeray by the LeT. The assailant was arrested but he managed to flee from police custody,” Headley said.
Headley was deposing before a Mumbai court in the 2008 26/11 terror attack case, via videoconference from an undisclosed location in the US.
“We wanted to target the chief of Shiv Sena… His name was Bal Thackeray. LeT wanted to kill him wherever a chance arose. I knew that Bal Thackeray was the head of Shiv Sena. I have no first-hand knowledge but I think an attempt was made by LeT to kill Bal Thackeray,” he said.
He also said that he had visited the Sena headquarters in Mumbai and video graphed the same as part of the operation.
“I don’t know how this attempt was made. I think the person (who was sent to kill Thackeray) was arrested but he managed to escape from police custody. I don’t have first-hand knowledge about this, though,” he added.
Headley, who is serving a 35-year jail term in the US, told the special court that he didn’t know about other targets of Let other than Thackeray.
Denying the reports that he had received money from Let, he said he had donated about $102941 to the terrorist group and the US had once financed his trip to Pakistan.
“I never received money from LeT…this is complete nonsense. I gave funds to LeT myself. I had donated more than 60 to 70 lakh Pakistani Rupees to LeT throughout the period I was associated with them. My last donation was in 2006,” Headley said.
He also informed the court that Tahawwur Rana, his associate and a Pakistani, knew that he was a Let operative.
Headley, however, refused to comment about his wife.
“David Headley, the approver in 26/11 case, has been cross-examined today by the Attorney of Abu Jundal’s lawyer. He has admitted three important facts. Firstly, he admitted that he has donated 80 lakhs Pakistani rupees to Laskar-e-Toiba. However, he claimed that he was not knowing exactly as to where that money was used and for what purpose,” Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.
“Secondly, he has admitted that he has invested his money in Dubai as well as in Pakistan. He further admitted before the arrest by the FBI in the terror attacks of November 26, he was working as a drug peddler and he was convicted by an American court for two times but he was released on the probation on certain grounds,” he added.
Earlier, Headley had revealed that Ishrat Jahan, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Gujarat, was a LeT operative.