NIA to ask Pakistan to assist in 26/11 larger terror conspiracy probe
After interrogating Tahawwur Rana, NIA has a better picture of LeT and Pakistan’s complicity in planning attacks in India, according to sources
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to send Pakistan a fresh court-approved request for assistance in the multi-city terror conspiracy probe, after the conclusion of Tahawwur Husain Rana's interrogation.
In legal terminology, a request for assistance in an investigation from a court in one country to a court in another country is referred to as 'letter rogatory'.
One of the key figures behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Rana was successfully extradited from the US earlier this month. After his interrogation, the NIA has more information on the bigger conspiracy to target other cities in India as well.
More attacks planned
After the 26/11 attacks, Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), which had sent the 10-member suicide squad to Mumbai, had asked its agent David Coleman Headley to look for other targets in India. Under directives from the LeT's top brass, Headley conducted surveillance of several other targets including the National Defence College in Delhi.
Also read: NIA grilling of Tahawwur Rana focuses on mystery figure in Dubai: Reports
In an email sent by top LeT operative Sajid Mir to Headley in July 2009, the former wrote in code language that he had some other investment (attack) plans too.
Sources said that by sending another letter rogatory to Pakistan, India will also reinforce to the world community that Islamabad has not taken any meaningful action to bring justice to the culprits of the 26/11 attacks.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks case was probed and chargesheeted by the Mumbai police.
A court convicted lone arrested gunman Ajmal Kasab in the case and sentenced him to death. The second accused, who was brought to trial in the case was Abu Jundal, who was asked to train the Mumbai attackers to speak in the Indian dialect to hide their Pakistani identity.
Beyond 26/11 attack
The NIA probed the larger conspiracy case that went beyond the 26/11 Mumbai attacks since Mir’s email to Headley made that very evident.
After his extradition from the US, Rana has been arrested in the case involving a broader conspiracy.
Also read: How Indian security officials paved way for 26/11 accused Rana's extradition
Rana and Headley were arrested in the US in 2009 and their interrogation revealed the larger conspiracy to target other cities in India after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The NIA probed the larger conspiracy case and filed a chargesheet in 2011 against Rana, Headley, Mir, LeT patron Hafiz Saeed, his deputy Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, two serving officers of Pakistan spy agency ISI — major Iqbal and major Samir Ali, former Pakistani army major Abdul Rehman Hashim alias Pasha and Al Qaeda military commander Ilyas Kashmiri (presumed to be dead in an American drone strike).
New evidence
In this case, before filing the chargesheet, the NIA sent a letter rogatory to Pakistan seeking its assistance in the multi-city terror conspiracy probe. India has not received any reply to it till now.
“Headley kept Rana informed at every step about the plan to attack Mumbai and also included him in the bigger conspiracy to target more Indian cities. He also shared details of his interactions with the LeT leadership with Rana. After interrogating Rana, the NIA now has a better picture of LeT and Pakistan’s complicity in planning attacks in India,” a source told The Federal.
Also read: Rana and Headley: How boyhood best friends became crony terrorists
Armed with the new evidence, the NIA is likely to send another letter rogatory to Pakistan seeking more evidence about the LeT and the organisation's key leaders. Headley used to interact with almost all the top LeT leaders and used to later brief Rana about it.
Pakistan's actions
Sources added that by sending another letter rogatory to Pakistan, India will also reinforce to the world community that Islamabad has not taken any meaningful action to bring justice to the culprits of the 26/11 attacks.
In connection with the 26/11 case, Pakistan too filed charges in a special court in Rawalpindi against the seven accused, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.
However, during the trial, while in judicial custody, Lakhvi managed to father a child, which reveals the flimsy nature of the whole exercise. Moreover, the 26/11 attacks trial in Pakistan is yet to be completed despite many appeals by Delhi to Islamabad to expedite it.
