'Maj Iqbal is Chaudhery Khan, 26/11 mastermind'

The mysterious Major Iqbal, who India suspects is a Pakistani army officer in the Inter Services Intelligence, has now been identified as Chaudhery Khan by Mumbai terror strike accused David Headley. Headley also confirmed that Khan was the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks.

Headley told a Chicago court during the trial of 26/11 co-accused Tahawwur Rana that an attempt to take the attackers to Mumbai in September 2008, two months before the terror strike, had failed. Headley told the jury that according to Major Iqbal, the boat in which they were to set sail was lost. This boat was to ferry the attackers some distance before they could be transferred to an Indian fishing boat. Iqbal also told Headley that they had lost 12 life jackets meant for the attackers.

Headley, a Pakistani-American, said that Major Iqbal, whose name keeps cropping up in the testimony, was actually Chaudhery Khan who made key decisions and was indeed the mastermind of the 26/11 plot.

The federal prosecutors also presented additional evidence linking Headley and ISI officials. Through records of several emails exhibited in court, federal prosecutors established beyond doubt that Headley was in constant touch with ISI officials, Major Iqbal in particular, and his handlers in Pakistan.

In an email dated April 23, 2008, Headley send Chaudhery Khan information on commercially available spy cameras and pen spy cameras.

Headley also conceded that he met Major Iqbal several time before the Mumbai attacks. He issued specific instructions on every step of the terror strike, right from establishing an office in Mumbai to recruiting retired military personnel, conducting surveillance, providing a list of targets and shutting down the Mumbai office.

"Major Iqbal told me Chabad House would be added on whatever list (of targets) there was because it was a front office for the Mossad (Israel's intelligence agency)," Headley said. He added that Major Iqbal seemed upset because Mumbai airport had not been included as a target.