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Headley's handlers used Indo-Pak cricket match as cover for recce

NEW DELHI: American Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley's Pakistani handlers -- Abdur Rehman (a retired Pakistan Army major) and Sajid Majid -- had visited India in 2005 on the pretext of watching a Indo-Pak cricket match. They had travelled to Delhi and Dehradun for a recce of the National Defence College (NDC) and Indian Military Academy (IMA) respectively as terror targets. This was revealed by Headley during his questioning by interrogators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in June. The interrogation report also carries some information on a number of aspects relating to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mission of Lashkar. It includes information on the jihadis' attempt to get "the arrested attacker (Ajmal Kasab) released in exchange for some people held hostage in Chabad House". About his handlers' visit to India, Headley told the NIA that Sajid Majid along with Abdur Rehman Hashim alias Pasha had visited India using the one-day match in 2005 as a cover. The match, which was played on April 17, 2005, was historic since the then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was among the VVIP spectators along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "Sajid, of course, did not reveal anything about this visit to me. However, Abdur Rehman had given a detailed narration of this visit to India in April 2005," Headley was quoted as saying in the 106-page report of the NIA. This report, which has been prepared after nearly 34 hours of questioning over a period of one week in Chicago, quoted Headley as saying that Sajid and Rehman crossed into India through the Wagah border. The duo spent some time in Delhi during which they carried out a recce of some places including NDC and had "possibly gone to the IMA, Dehradun", he told his interrogators. "On their way back, Abdur Rehman recollected that Sajid was extremely nervous at Wagah gate," Headley said. India secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against both Sajid and Abdur Rehman recently for their role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes. The 34-year-old Sajid has been with Lashkar-e-Taiba for nearly 16 years and according to Headley, he stays near the airport in Lahore. Headley told his interrogators that Sajid was arrested in Dubai once and could get out using his "Lashkar connections". The handler of Headley had undergone plastic surgery and had a good understanding of computers, it was stated. He also told the NIA that besides taking videos of many terror targets, he also had detailed videos of film producer Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul Bhatt and gym instructor Villas Varak. Headley also recalled his contact with a fisherman in the Cuffe Parade area while he was searching for landing sites for terrorists off the Mumbai coast. He said he had even given the fisherman's telephone number to Sajid.

                                                                                                               
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