The mysterious Major Iqbal, who India suspects is a Pakistani army officer in ISI, has now been identified as ‘Chaudhery Khan’ by Mumbai terror accused David Headley who said he is the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks plot.
50-year-old Headley also told a Chicago court during the trial of 26/11 co-accused Tahawwur Rana that an attempt to take the attackers to Mumbai in September 2008 failed as a boat in which they were to sail was lost.
He said before the jury that according to Major Iqbal, in September they lost the Pakistani boat which was supposed to take the attackers to sea for some distance after which they were to be shifted to an Indian fishing boat.
Iqbal also told Headley that they had lost 12 life jackets meant for the attackers.
Headley, a Pakistan-American, said that Major Iqbal, whose name keeps cropping up in the testimony, used the ID of ’Chaudhery Khan’, made key decisions and was indeed the mastermind of the 26/11 plot.
The federal prosecutors presented to the court additional evidences linking strong connection between Headley and the ISI officials.
Through records of several emails exhibited in the court, federal prosecutors established beyond doubt that Headley was in constant contact with ISI officials, in particular Major Iqbal, and his handlers in Pakistan.
In an email dated April 23, 2008, Headley sent Chaudhery Khan information on commercially available spy cameras and pen spy cameras.