Serving Major among 4 Pak nationals behind 2008 Mumbai attacks

New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) A suspected serving Pakistani
Major, believed to be working with the ISI, is among four
nationals of that country charged by the US with being alleged
conspirators behind the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes.
The accused identified as 'Major Iqbal', was named along
with Sajid Mir, Mazhar Iqbal and Abu Qahafa in a second
superseding indictment filed by the federal prosecutors before
a court in Chicago on April 25 last. Besides, the indictment
mentioned an unnamed individual as "Lashkar Member D."
Indian investigators had named Major Iqbal along with
another Pakistani Army officer Major Sameer Ali as the brain
behind the Mumbai terror strikes and on the request of New
Delhi, Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against them.
The dossier was handed over during the Indo-Pak Foreign
Secretary-level talks on February 25, 2010 in New Delhi.
The role of 'Major Iqbal' emerged in the interrogation by
the FBI of US terror suspect David Headley, arrested in
Chicago in October, 2009 in connection with the Mumbai attack.
The four men identified were previously mentioned but not
named in the indictments that charged Pakistani-American David
Headley and Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana in connection
with the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people, including six
Americans.
An individual known as 'Major Iqbal' participated in
planning and funding attacks carried out by LeT in Mumbai,
federal prosecutors said.
According to the Indian dossier, Maj Iqbal was posted in
Lahore from 2007 to 2008 and was handling Headley. He also
handled all the surveillance videos sent by Headley.
The US federal prosecutor said that in July 2006, Major
Iqbal provided to Headley approximately USD 25,000 to, among
other purposes, establish and operate the Mumbai office of
First World and pay for living expenses while Headley carried
out his assignments for Lashkar.
In September 2006, February 2007, September 2007, April
2008 and July 2008, Headley travelled to Mumbai for extended
periods for the purpose of conducting surveillance of possible
targets of attacks by LeT, using his association with First
World as cover for his travels.
Prior to Headley's departure for each of these trips, Mir
and Major Iqbal along with others instructed Headley regarding
locations where he was to conduct video surveillance in and
around Mumbai, as well as other locations in India.
After each trip, Headley travelled to Pakistan, where he
met Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal associated with Lashkar to
report on the results of his surveillance, and provided them
with photographs and videos from the surveillance, the US
federal prosecutors said.