Headley dispels ‘non-state actors’ myth, fingers ISI

New Delhi: Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Daood Sayed Gilani, a.k.a David Coleman Headley, may have confirmed to his Indian interrogators that the 26/11 Mumbai attack was stage-managed by Pakistan Army intelligence service, the ISI, at "each and every stage of the plot". His confession would go a long way towards dispelling the Pakistani myth that the 26/11 Mumbai attack was carried out by 'non-state' actors.

Headley is currently under interrogation in the US by a team of National Investigation Agency officials from India.

According to reports now in circulation in the Indian media, and attributed to government sources, Headley's confession would not only bring the focus back on Pakistani state actors in the global game of terrorism, but also highlight the LeT-ISI relationship and also help explain Islamabad's unwillingness to bring the Lashkar leadership and the organisation to book.

Reports suggest that Headley has fingered serving officers of Pakistan army - Major Sameer Ali, Major Iqbal and Major Haroon - as those in close connect with the Laskhar terrorists. Incidentally, the names of Major Sameer and Major Iqbal also figured in the dossiers that India has provided to Pakistan.

It is now being given to understand that Home minister P Chidambaram may ask for voice samples of seven Lashkar commanders including Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu Al Qama and others when he meets his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik in the course of his visit to Islamabad to participate in the SAARC home ministers conference.

Pakistan has steadfastly refused to provide voice samples of those in its custody, and those moving about free, as these would go a long way in establishing the identity of those who instructed the 26/11 LeT attackers as they went about on their killing spree.