American charged in Mumbai massacre plot

American charged in Mumbai massacre plot Barbara Ferguson | Arab News

WASHINGTON: An American citizen was charged on Monday in the federal court of Chicago, Illinois, for helping to plot the 2008 rampage in Mumbai, India, that left 163 dead. The US Justice Department accused David Headley of conspiracy to bomb public places in India, conspiracy to murder and maim in India, and involvement in the deaths of six US nationals in India. The charges place the American at the center of an international terrorism investigation. And his profile — with roots in the US and links to the Pakistani government and military — makes him a highly unusual terror suspect. Headley, 49, was held in October, along with another Chicago resident, Tahawwur Rana, and charged with plotting to attack a Danish newspaper that in 2005 published offensive cartoons against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), outraging the Muslim world. Authorities with the Justice Department say Headley is cooperating with counterterrorism investigators and has admitted to taking part in the Mumbai plot. Headley is the son of a former Pakistani diplomat and an American socialite from Philadelphia, Pa. He was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in elite circles in Pakistan where he attended a strict military high school. His parents divorced when he was young. His half-brother, Daniel Gilani, is a spokesperson for Pakistan's prime minister. Friends and relatives told reporters that Headley — whose original name is Daood Gilani — changed his name in 2005 to pass himself off as an American and thus travel more freely. He dropped out of college and fell into trouble. In 1998 he was convicted of smuggling heroin into the US, but avoided a long stint in jail by cooperating with the authorities. He later conducted undercover operations in Pakistan for the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2006, he moved to Chicago, where he has a wife and children. Relatives said he dropped out of touch. Authorities say he was recruited by Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2005 to scout locations for the Mumbai attack. Authorities say Headley took photographs and recorded a video of the Taj Mahal hotel, the Oberoi hotel, and other locations in the city that ultimately became the targets of machine-gun and grenade attacks by the 10 Lashkar guerrillas. Justice Department lawyers and FBI agents were in India and Pakistan on Monday briefing their counterparts there about the case. FBI Director Robert Mueller said the case demonstrates the importance of fostering relationships with international counterparts. "This case illustrates the importance of continued global cooperation to combat terrorism around the world," said Mueller. "The FBI continues to strengthen relationships and to foster collaboration with our international partners to best ensure our collective ability to identify and disrupt international terror networks." This necessity to stress cooperation across boundaries was reiterated by said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, who told reporters Monday: "This case serves as a reminder that the terrorist threat is global in nature and requires constant vigilance at home and abroad. We continue to share leads developed in this investigation with our foreign and domestic law enforcement partners as we work together on this important matter."