Headley reveals ISI link, Rahul an eyewash: IB

David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani has kicked up quite a storm for the Indian security agencies following his arrest and subsequent interrogation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.

During his interrogation with the FBI, Headley gave details about the role he was to play in India along with his partner in crime, Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Currently, a team of the Indian Intelligence Bureau and officials from the Research and Analysis Wing are interrogating Headley to find out what more he has in store for India.

Sources in the IB told rediff.com that Headley's interrogation will be three pronged. Firstly, they would find out about the plans in store for India. Secondly, they would probe the role that Al-Qaeda 313 brigade member Ilyas Kashmiri is playing in India operations. Finally, they would try to secure information on the mysterious film actor, Rahul, who has found a mention in the various transcripts.

Preliminary investigations would show that Headley was reporting to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in Pakistan. His role was not something that was unknown to the Pakistan administration. The ISI was well aware of Headley's role and had in fact helped him on various occasions to carry out the job.

The key aspect that emerges from Headley's interrogation is that the Lashkar was coordinating with the Al-Qaeda to carry out an attack on the Indian soil. The IB says that his interrogation makes it clear that Ilyas Kashmiri was in fact second-in-command to Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden.

According his interrogation, the Lashkar roped in Headley to carry out operations in Denmark. However, he was suddenly asked to put those plans on hold and told to carry out operations in India. The IB explains that an attack coming out of US soil would have been something that the Indian security agencies would not have anticipated.

Moreover, Headley revealed that he was in touch with the Lashkar as well as the Al-Qaeda for this operation. He communicated with them mostly through emails. It was through an email from the LeT that Headley learnt he had to lay more emphasis on the India operation. They even told him to go to India immediately and carry out a recee of the specified targets, which interrogations suggested were mainly school buildings.

However, there was a difference in opinion between the Lashkar and the Al-Qaeda on this operation. While the Lashkar was keen on striking in India first, Kashmiri thought it would be better to complete the Denmark operation first. However, both outfits agreed to go ahead with the India operation first since it would grab more attention.

The IB says that it would have to deal with more such individuals in future. Terror outfits would try and spring surprises like this and get people from various other countries to carry out strikes on Indian soil.

The Rahul factor
The IB says that this was a deliberate ploy on part of the terrorists to use a name like Rahul. The entire operation was aimed at carrying out a terror strike on Indian soil. The terrorists spoke in codes, as they were aware that the IB surveillance had increased three-fold.

The IB says that while discussing a major operation, terrorists tend to talk about an operation that is not remotely concerned with the original plot. This sends security agencies on a wild goose chase and in the meantime the real operation is planned. In this case, they spoke about a film actor by the name Rahul.

During the course of the conversation that Headley had, he also speaks about how Kashmiri -- who he refers to as Pir Saab -- was still alive and not killed in the drone attack. If one observes the conversations and the email transcripts that took place during the serial blasts that rocked India, there is a constant reference made to Shah Rukh Khan. It did confuse the investigating agencies, but at the end of it they realised that it was nothing but an alias for Riyaz Bhatkal, who is said to have co-founded the Indian Mujahideen.