Email
Print
ShareNew Delhi: David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana laid the groundwork for last year's terror strikes on 26/11 in Mumbai. They were the point men in the city for the planners and handlers in Pakistan.
This was established by records of phone calls made by Headley to his contacts in Pakistan in the run-up to the attacks, said highly-placed home ministry sources on Tuesday. "Efforts are on to procure the records and transcripts of the conversations that took place between them to establish the link," the sources added.
Thus far, the role played by the duo had been more of a question mark. But the National Investigation Agency confirmed that it has found vital clues establishing links between Headley, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, and his Canadian accomplice Rana with the larger module that had planned and executed the November 26 strikes. The investigations around 26/11 had seemed to hit a roadblock in recent times, and these revalations could be the missing link in the broader conspiracy behind the attacks.
While the duo's role in the terror strikes becomes clearer, clouds have also lifted
from over the Bhatt residence. The investigating agencies have given a clean chit to Rahul Bhatt, son of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who was being questioned for his self-confessed association with Headley. "Rahul is only a witness and not a suspect. But efforts are on to ascertain if he had unwittingly helped Headley," the sources in the home ministry said.
Planners of 26/11, the sources said, had been in touch with Headley and Rana ahead of the strikes as the duo gathered information about possible targets.
They had reportedly conducted an extensive survey of the areas and supplied photographs and videos related to the targets to the terrorists, leaving Mumbai before the attack.
As the investigating agencies plays its role, the ministry of external affairs has also issued a probe into how Headley was given a visa by the Indian consulate general in Chicago without getting home ministry clearance. "The issue is being looked into very carefully from the security angle and you will soon hear on this issue," external affairs minister SM Krishna said.
