Tahawwur Rana, the Pak-Canadian terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, arranged for a staff member, referred to as 'employee B', to assist David Coleman Headley, the main conspirator of the attack, with operational and logistical support, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources said on Saturday.
The NIA, which is currently interrogating Rana after his extradition from the United States, is planning to confront him with 'employee B' in an effort to uncover further details about the 26/11 attack, which claimed over 160 lives.
However, the central agency sources indicated that 'employee B' had no knowledge of the terrorist activities. He was only tasked with arranging logistics such as reception, transportation, lodging, and office-cum-residence facilities for Headley, under Rana's instructions.
Rana is accused of facilitating Headley's reconnaissance missions for the attacks by providing cover through his immigration business. NIA sources revealed that Rana assisted Headley not only with obtaining a visa but also in concealing his Muslim identity and Pakistani origin. Additionally, Rana helped Headley integrate into the Indian business and military communities during his stay in India.
Rana is also alleged to have booked flight tickets for Headley from Karachi and even helped create documents for Headley's Moroccan wife, Faiza Outalah, sources added.
More than 230 phone calls were exchanged between Rana and Headley during this period. According to the NIA chargesheet, Rana was also in contact with another conspirator of the attacks, identified as 'Major Iqbal'.
Rana, the 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, was brought to India on Thursday and remanded to 18-day NIA custody, where extensive questioning has since begun. He is charged with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery in the country.
Officials are hopeful that the interrogation will help uncover the full extent of the conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks. The questioning is reportedly focused on uncovering further details about his potential links to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the group responsible for orchestrating the strike.
Source: India Today