Washington: Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was planning to carry out fresh Mumbai type attacks on the National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi, Somnath temple in Gujarat and some Bollywood stars and Shiv Sena leaders in Mumbai, according to the FBI.
The three new possible Let targets besides NDC were revealed in fresh evidence filed in Chicago Federal court on Monday against Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistan-born Chicago businessman, who was arrested in October along with another Pakistani-American terror suspect David Coleman Headley for planning terror attacks in India and Denmark.
"In the September 7, 2009 conversation, Headley discussed four targets with Rana-Somnath (a temple in India ) and Denmark, Bollywood (a reference to the Indian film industry) and Shiv Sena (a political party with roots in Hindu nationalism)," the FBI said in a new 10-page affidavit.
"In his post-arrest statement, Rana falsely claimed that these were references to potential business ventures. It is difficult to imagine why a person who praises the work of a designated terrorist group that attacks India would look at an Indian temple or a Hindu nationalist party as a business venture," the FBI noted.
"And it bears note that, as set out in the complaint, 'business' and 'investments' were code words used by Rana, David Coleman Headley, "Pasha" (a retired Pakistani Army Brigadier) and others to describe terrorist plots," the FBI said.
Rana "discussed the National Defence College in India as a 'target' during a conversation on September 7, 2009 with Headley who added it to his list of previously discussed targets, saying "sorry not four, five".
To this Rana responded, "Right, this is it, I knew already" further adding he "thought it is the target". Prosecutors stated that Rana used the "English word target".
According to the conversation, Headley explained that he "would ask LeT member A to 'do that first' (attack the Defence College)" to which Rana responded affirmatively, "in this matter, do the defence".
After Headley states that "we" would use LeT member A to carry out the attack on the defence college, Rana again offered praise for Let member A and LeT. "They should be really commended. I appreciate them from my heart", Rana said according to the prosecutors.
US prosecutors on Monday opposed Rana's release on bail saying he was a flight risk. His detention hearing is set to resume on Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan in US District Court in Chicago.
Rana, a Canadian citizen had appeared in court on December 2 for his detention hearing but a decision to release him on bond was postponed till December 15 by Nolan, who said she needed more time to review the evidence, including his statement to the FBI after his arrest in October on terror charges.
The FBI also claims that Rana "knew well in advance" about the deadly Mumbai terror attacks.
In papers filed in federal court in Chicago on Monday, prosecutors said Rana, along with Headley, learned an attack was about to happen while travelling in Dubai days before the November 26, 2008 attack on Mumbai.
"Shiv Sena leaders continue to do their good work and because they do they are on the target list of groups like LeT. Failure of security in country has to be looked into. The Government has failed in this regard. This is a concern of the country at large not only of Shiv Sena." — Shiv Sena legal head Rahul Narvekar told CNN-IBN
CNN-IBN Reports
Headley and Rana reportedly discussed the targets in a taped conversation on September 7, 2008, though the FBI has not revealed who taped the conversation.
Here is a transcript of the conversation.
Headley: Pasha met you in Dubai and said this was about to happen. When you landed in America, how did you find out?
Rana: I went from Dubai to China. I was supposed to board the plane for America - this has started.
Headley: In Mumbai, yeah. Did Pasha not say that?
Rana: Yes.
Headley: When he mentioned that -
Rana: What?
Headley: Pasha had mentioned that in Dubai that this is how -
Rana: That he said to me as well; but I deliberately have started planning.
Headley: Yes, yes absolutely.
However, this taped conversation poses some questions for the FBI.
- How did they know this car conversation had taken place?
- The only way it could have been recorded is by placing a listening device in the car. Was this done with Headley's knowledge? Did Headley then ask Rana leading questions to indict him at a later date?
- Was Headley already cooperating with the FBI to turn approver and depose against Rana?
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