'26/11 attackers were trained in paramilitary courses'

The 26/11 Mumbai attack was carried out by highly-trained terrorists who were given training into paramilitary courses by Lashkar-e-Tayiba,  a United States attorney has said.

"...this (Mumbai attack) was, in fact, the handiwork of highly trained terrorists who had gone through the LeT paramilitary courses," US Attorney Neil H MacBride said in a submission to a US district court in Virginia, which sentenced 24-year-old Pakistani national Jubair Ahmad for aiding the LeT.

Ahmad was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment on Friday for providing material support to LeT by making a propaganda video for the terror group, helping it with recruitment and fundraising.

Based in US for the past few years, Ahmad had himself received two levels of LeT training and was in regular communication with Talha Saeed, the son of the LeT founder Hafiz Saeed.

"For years before his arrest, Ahmad engaged in trade-craft to conceal his activities on behalf of LeT. He used coded language, avoiding talking openly about LeT, and he maintained the lowest possible profile," MacBride said.

Though based in US, the purpose of Ahmad was to incite violence against India in particular Kashmir. Ahmad "advocated violence, almost exclusively against the Indian army in Kashmir."

According to the US attorney, Ahmad received first two levels of paramilitary training from the LeT -- Dora Suffa and Dora A'ama.

Once he completed the first two levels, Ahmad was interested in the third stage, Dora Khasa or the "advanced course," but was denied permission, as he was too young skinny.

After having been turned away, and after the passage of time and distance, Ahmad continued to express a desire to complete the advanced LeT training.

In July 2010, when he turned 23, Ahmad told an associate, "I had gone to do the Khasa. Brother Nisar sent me back. He said, 'You are too young right now.'... There was a lot of enjoyment (there)."

"When the associate asked if he intended to try again, Ahmad replied, 'God willing.'," the US attorney said.

"He had the specific intent to influence the conduct of a government (in this case the Indian government), by intimidation or coercion or because he wanted to retaliate against them. Ahmad did not commit this offense by accident. He did not commit it for pecuniary gain or because he really liked and admired Talha Saeed," he added.