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In a significant disclosure, Aftab Ansari, alleged mastermind of the attack on the American Centre in Kolkata, has revealed that he was closely associated with Saeed Omar Sheikh, prime accused in American journalist Daniel Pearl's murder, and that the latter had given him "all kinds of support" for his activities.
Revealing a close nexus between Pakistan-based terrorists and the Indian underworld, Ansari also told his interrogators that the January 22 attack was carried out because the Lashkar-e-Tayiba wanted revenge against the United States and he wanted to avenge the killing of his close associate, Asif Raza Khan, by police.
The Rajkot police killed Asif Khan when he tried to escape during investigation of the kidnapping of a Gujarat-based diamond merchant.
Ansari, who is in the custody of the Delhi police since last Monday, has also disclosed that he had met Omar Sheikh, a senior leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist outfit, for the first time in an Indian jail, sources told the Press Trust of India.
Sheikh was among the three terrorists released in December 1999 to end the Indian Airlines IC-814 hijack crisis.
Ansari later went to Pakistan where Omar Sheikh provided him all kinds of logistical and other support. "Omar Sheikh even got Ansari's Pakistani passport made in the name of Azhar in February 2001," the sources said, adding that Ansari stayed in Pakistan for over a year.
Omar Sheikh was also instrumental in introducing Ansari to operatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence who sought the latter's cooperation in carrying out subversive activities in India, the sources said.
Ansari, who was deported to India from Dubai in February, has also disclosed his close association with the Lashkar's 'launching commander' Azam Cheema, his deputy Fahadullah, Abdul Karim alias Tunda, and three Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami militants -- Mufti Kifayatullah alias Zafar, a Pakistan-based Indian, Javed Varaich and Mehboob alias Noor.
"The plan to carry out the attack on the American Centre on January 22 was conceived by Ansari and LeT commander Fahadullah in Pakistan under the ISI's guidance," the sources said citing Ansari's confessions.
PTI
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