Washington: To deceive Indian security
agencies, ISI's Major Iqbal used a US cell phone number to communicate with David Headley, a co-accused in 26/11 attacks, while the Pakistani-American was scouting for targets in
India.
As a star witness during the just-concluded trial of
his childhood friend Tahawwur Husain Rana, Headley, 50, told
the Chicago court that Major Iqbal gave him the New York cell
phone number starting with 646 so that both of them could have
unhindered communication while he was in India.
"I had that (New York Cell phone number of Major
Iqbal) before leaving for India. And these instructions that
he was giving me on the last e-mail, he had already given them
to me in person," Headley told the court.
"What did he say about the 646 number, Major Iqbal, to
you when you talked to him about it, in person?" prosecutor
asked Headley.
"He said he had a number, a United States phone
number," Headley said.
"Did he explain to you how he was able to do that?"
the attorney asked.
"No", he responded.
"Did he provide to you the number?" he was asked.
"He did," Headley said.
"Did he provide or did he instruct you as to when to
use it?" he was asked during the trial.
Headley said that he was asked to call on that number
to talk to Major Iqbal when he was travelling inside India.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 21:25