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Lashkar eyed Bal Thackeray on two occasion, says David Headley

by IBNS 24 Mar 2016, 07:05 am

Mumbai, Mar 24 (IBNS) Deposing before a Mumbai court on Thursday, David Coleman Headley said that terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba had targeted the late Shiv Sena leader Balashab Thackeray on two occasions.

The prime accused of 26/11 Mumbai attack, who is being cross examined by the court via video link from an undisclosed US cell, said that while an earlier attempt to kill the Maratha leader was foiled by the police, the person who was apprehended, escaped custody.

Headley was quoted in the media as saying, "From what I recall the accused was held by the police but he later escaped."

His further revelations included the monetary aspect in the whole operation.

Headley  said that it was he and not the Lashkar who paid for the missions. He poured in around 70 lakh rupees in Pakistani currency in the Laskhar account and had never received money for his services from the fringe unit.

The US convict of state, who is serving a 35-year jail term there, had earlier said that the Lashkar generated funds from the ISI and Pakistani Army. He had further stated that both the organisations had asked him to secure men from India to pass on important information regarding the nation.

He had also spoken about his handler, Sajid Mir, and how he was inspired by a speech from Lashkar head Hafeez Saeed about carrying a jihad against India.