FBI busts LeT plot to use American for attacks in India, Denmark

WASHINGTON: US investigating agencies have busted a plot by the Pakistan-based Lashkar e Taiba (LeT) to use an American national for a terrorist attacks in Denmark and India. (Watch Video)
The man, identified as David Coleman Headley, was one of two suspects arrested early this month by FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport before he boarded a flight to Philadelphia, from where he was intending to travel to Pakistan to meet Pakistani terrorist handlers, including the fugitive Ilyas Kashmiri.
Headley's partner in the terror plot, which included plans to attack the Danish newspaper that published cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, was a Pakistani-Canadian named Tahawwur Hussain Rana, also a resident of Chicago who was arrested by the FBI on October 18.
According to the FBI affidavit filed in a Chicago court, Headley was in close contact with Ilyas Kashmiri and several unidentified leaders of LeT, two of whom are identified as "LeT member A" and "Individual A." He had visited Pakistan before to meet LeT handlers and was returning there ostensibly to finalize plans for strikes.
"In July and August 2009, Headley exchanged a series of e-mails with LeT Member A, including an exchange in which Headley asked if the Denmark project was on hold, and whether a visit to India that LeT member A had asked him to undertake was for the purpose of surveilling targets for a new terrorist attack," the FBI said in its affidavit.
"These e-mails reflect that LeT Member A was placing a higher priority on using Headley to assist in planning a new attack in India than on completing the planned attack in Denmark," it said.
Although the affidavit named Kashmiri, it did not identify others involved in the plot, referring to them as LeT member A and Individual A. It said LeT member A ���has substantial influence and responsibility within the organization��� and his ���identity is known to the government.���
While one reason for the FBI not naming the two other suspects could be that they are Pakistani nationals, the Bureau indicated that it received cooperation from foreign investigating agencies.
���Information developed during this investigation was shared with our foreign partners as we worked together to mitigate these threats. This case is a reminder that the threat posed by international terrorist organizations is global in nature and requires constant vigilance at home and abroad," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
But there was no word about whether the US authorities would persuade Pakistanis to turn over or extradite the suspects, much less prosecute them in Pakistan.
The latest terror plot, one of dozens involving Pakistanis or Pakistani-origin suspects across the world, is bound to complicate monitoring in India because of the use of an American proxy and the volume of US nationals traveling to India.
US agencies have long suspected that Al Qaeda is trying to use western operatives to strike in the United States, but this is the first time LeT is known to have drafted an American national for possible strikes in India.
Although he currently carries a western name, Headley's original name was said to be Daood Gilani, which he reportedly got changed legally in 2006.
Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, lived mostly in Chicago, where he owned several businesses, including First World Immigration Services, which has offices on Devon Avenue in Chicago, as well as in New York and Toronto. He also owned a farm outside Chicago which provided halal meat for Muslim customers, as well as a grocery store, the FBI said.
According to FBI, in January 2009 and July 2009, Headley traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, and Rana allegedly arranged portions of his travel.
In early September, Headley and Rana took a lengthy car ride during which they discussed the activities of the other individuals, including past terrorist acts, and Headley discussed with Rana five actions involving targets that expressly included Denmark.
According to the FBI affidavit, Headley at times has claimed to be a consultant with or representative of Rana's business, First World Immigration Services, but appeared to perform little if any actual work for the business. Despite his apparent lack of financial resources and substantial employment, Headley traveled extensively since the second half of 2008, including multiple trips to Pakistan and various countries in Europe.
���Postings to an internet group for graduates of a military school in the Pakistani town of Hasan Abdal (a group that refers to itself as "abdalians"), reflect that both Rana and Headley have participated in the group and referred to their attendance at that school,��� the FBI said.
It was not clear if it is a school run by the Pakistani military or if it is a terrorist training camp.
Beginning in late 2008, Headley corresponded extensively with Individual A and LeT Member A regarding what they referred to in coded communications as the "Mickey Mouse Project," "mmp," and "the northern project," according to the affidavit. The Mickey Mouse Project allegedly involved planning for one or more attacks at facilities and employees of Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper that in 2005 published cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed, to which many Muslims took great offense.
In October 2008, Headley allegedly posted a message to the "abdalians" internet discussion group stating that "I feel disposed towards violence for the offending parties,"referring to the Danish cartoonists and others who he identified "as making fun of Islam." Using coded language, Rana, Headley, Individual A and LeT Member A allegedly have referred to this plot, as well as discussions of other targets, as "investments," "projects," "business," and "action," and have described their hopes for success both in terms of receiving religious awards, as well as getting "rich," "richer," and making "profit." Between August 2008 and Dec.7, 2008, Headley sent multiple email messages from internet addresses locatedin Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan, the FBI said.
According to the FBI affidavit, following his visit to Denmark, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Individual A. During this visit, Headley traveled with Individual A to Pakistan's FATA region and met with Kashmiri. After returning to Chicago in August 2009, Headley allegedly used coded language to repeatedly inquire if Individual A had been in touch with Kashmiri regarding planning for the attack, and expressing concern that Individual A's communications with Kashmiri had been cut off. In conversations with Rana and Individual A in August and September 2009, Headley indicated that if the "doctor" (said to be a reference to Kashmiri) and his people were unable to assist, then Headley would perform the planned operation himself.
In September 2009, after initial press reports indicated that Kashmiri had been killed in a drone attack in Pakistan, Headley and Individual A allegedly had a series of coded conversations in which they discussed the reports of Kashmiri's death and what it meant for the projects they were planning. Individual A sought to reassure and encourage Headley, telling him, among other things, that "this is business sir; these types of things happen." On Sept. 20, 2009, Headley told a family member words to the effect that he had spoken to Rana and they agreed that "business must go on." In a Sept. 21, 2009, telephone conversation, Individual A indicated to Headley that Kashmiri was alive and "doing well."
In a subsequent conversation on Sept. 30, 2009, Individual A again assured Headley that Kashmiri, whom he referred to as "Pir Sahib," was "absolutely all right" and had not gotten "married," which was code for being killed.
Headley asked Individual A if it was possible to now have a meeting with Kashmiri and Individual A responded that Kashmiri "just today, was asking about you" (Headley).
Ilyas Kashmiri, a former commando said to be connected to the Pakistani military's Special Services Group, was first reported killed in a US drone attack last month. He subsequently surfaced alive and gave an interview to a Pakistani reporter two weeks ago in which he swore to wreak havoc on India and the United States.