'Rana didn't congratulate Headley on 26/11'

Tahawwur Rana, the 26/11 co-accused, did not congratulate co-conspirator David Coleman Headley, unlike several others, on the success of the Mumbai terror attacks, attorney of the Pakistani-Canadian said during the trial.

Rana's attorney Patrick Blegen told a Chicago court that for 26/11 carnage, Headley was congratulated by his brother Hamza and wife Shazia among several others, but not by Rana.

50-year-old Rana was charged in the case that he provided a front to Headley by appointing him as an immigration consultant at his First World Immigration Office in Mumbai.

Blegen also argued in the court Harry D Leinenweber as alleged initially, Rana was not the first to say the nine attackers killed in the Mumbai attacks should be given Pakistan's highest honour the 'Nishane Haider', but was merely repeating what Headley had said.

In the secretly recorded conversation, Rana said, "You know they should be given Nishane Haider..." Blegen claimed that Rana was repeating what "you" (Headley) had said.

The attorney also brought up the topic that Headley indulged in a lot of "loose talk", and used to express anger. "He engaged in loose talk with everybody and did not keep it to himself."

It was also alleged that Headley was manipulative and would say different things to different people and only letting them know what was needed.

Blegen said at one incident, FBI came to question Headley because of his loose talk to someone. He also had expressed anger toward India regarding Kashmir and regarding Pakistani Muslims in 1999-2000.

Also Blegen stated there were no emails between Headley and Rana regarding the Denmark operation -- initially called the Mickey Mouse Project and was later changed to the Northern Project.

Blegen also said Rana who had offices in New York, Toronto, and Chicago wanted to open an office in Scandinavia.

After the 26/11 attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans, Headley was planning to bomb the Danish newspaper office of Jyllands Postern that had published controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad in 2005.

The attorney also related an incident where Headley after recording videos and doing surveillance work in Denmark returned and presented hats with the "Copenhagen" written on them, in an apparent reference to the Denmark operation.

At first Headley said the climber hats were just a souvenir, but later admitted it was meant to be a conspiratorial inside joke toward the planned future attacks in Denmark.

Headley gave these hats to his brother Hamza, Pasha and Sajid Mir, but did not give it to Rana, Blegen stated in Rana's defense.