Posted on 05/12/2002 5:44:17 PM PDT by swarthyguy
In a significant disclosure, Aftab Ansari, the alleged mastermind of the Kolkata American Center attack, has revealed he had a close association with Saeed Omar Aheikh, prime accused in the US journalist Daniel Pearl kidnap-cum-murder case, and that the latter had provided him "all kinds of support" for his activities.
Revealing close nexus between Pakistan-based terrorists and Indian underworld, Ansari also told his interrogators that the January 22 attack was undertaken because Lashker-e-Toiba wanted to take revenge against the US and he wanted to avenge the killing of his close associate Asif Raza Khan by police.
Ansari, who is in the custody of Delhi Police since last Monday, has also disclosed that he met Omar Sheikh, a senior leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit, first in an Indian jail, sources told PTI here.
Sheikh was among the three terrorists released in December 1999 to end the Indian Airlines plane hijacking crisis.
Ansari later went to Pakistan and Omar Sheikh provided all kinds of logistical and other kinds of support to him there.
"Omar Sheikh even got Ansari’s Pakistani passport made in the name of Azhar in February 2001," the sources said, adding he had stayed in Pakistan for over a year.
Omar Sheikh was also instrumental in introducing Ansari to ISI operatives who sought the latter’s cooperation in carrying out its subversive activities in India, the sources said.
Ansari, who was deported to India from Dubai in February, has also disclosed his close association with LeT’s launching commander Azam Cheema, his deputy Fahadullah, Abdul Karim alias Tunda, and three Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HUJI) militants — Mufti Kifayatullah alias Zafar, a Pak-based Indian, Javed Varaich and Mehboob alias Noor.
"The plan to carry out the attack on American center on January 22 this year was conceived by Ansari and LeT commander Fahadullah in Pakistan under ISI’s guidance," the sources said citing Ansari’s confessions.
"The attack was motivated mainly by LeT’s desire to take revenge on the us for its actions in Afghanistan and Ansari’s desire to avenge killing of his close associate Asif Raza Khan in a shootout with police," they said.
Asif Raza Khan was killed by Rajkot Police when he tried to flee during investigations in connection with the kidnapping of a Gujarat-based Diamond Merchant.
Ansari has also revealed that he had got several militants of different terrorist outfits settled in India through his close aides — Asif Raza Khan, Arshad Khan alias Masab, Anita Das, Tariq Mehboob alias Naeem, Mohd Idrish alias Wazid and Mohd Saleem.
Asif Raza Khan, Arshad Khan and Anita Das, who were working under the direct control of Ansari, were arrested by the police in October last from the Lodhi Garden parking area. (PTI)
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