Arrested American working for LeT targeting mysterious 'Rahul'

A mysterious 'Rahul' appears to have been the prime target of Chicago resident David Coleman Headley, nabbed by the FBI for planning to carry out a major terror attack in India this month at the behest of Pakistan-based LeT.

Headley, arrested earlier this month, had made several trips to India and intended to stay in the country for some time—two to four weeks—to execute the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) plans, according to US investigators.

49-year-old Headley was arrested alongwith a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin by FBI's joint terrorism task force at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport before boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel to Pakistan.

According to an affidavit filed by FBI in a Chicago court, Headley in an e-mail on July eight to a senior LeT leader whose name has not been revealed but who has been identified as 'LeT individual A', said, "I think when we get a chance we should revisit our last location again and say 'Hi' to Rahul".

Following his arrest, Headley has stated that the reference was to "Rahul", a prominent Indian actor with that first name, the FBI said in its complaint.

Intelligence sources in New Delhi discounted speculation that the reference could have been to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. In such cases, US security agencies immediately alert their Indian counterparts and there had been no such alert, the sources said.