Mumbai 2008 terror attacks accused-turned-approver David Headley on Thursday said the Lashkar-e-Taiba had tried to kill former Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Thackeray, a hugely influential figure in the city’s politics, died in 2012. Headley made the revelation on the second day of his cross-examination via videoconferencing in a Mumbai court. Headley insisted though, that his knowledge of this was not firsthand, but that he had heard it via via.
According to Headley, a former LeT operative himself, the terror group’s attempt to kill Thackeray failed because the accused was apprehended by the police, though he escaped later, NDTV reported. He also said LeT handler Sajid Mir had ordered the attack on Thackeray. Headley claimed he had twice visited the Sena Bhavan, from where the party runs its operations, but he did not specify when.
According to ANI, Nikam told mediapersons Headley made a few other important revelations. Headley, Nikam said, revealed that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intellgence had provided "huge finances" to complete the 26/11 operation. Headley also said following the international pressure on the LeT following the Mumbai attacks, they took a softer stand in the 2010 Denmark attacks.
This is the second day Headley is being cross-examined. The cross-examination is being led by Abdul Wahab Khan, the lawyer of Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, a prime accused in the 2008 attacks. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam was also present.
On Wednesday, Headley had said he had donated between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 70 lakh to LeT till 2006. Headley further revealed that the United States’ Drug Enforcement Agency had instructed him to visit Pakistan after it arrested him and had sponsored his trip as well. Headley was deposed over several days earlier in March.
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