ISI’s ‘terror links’ will be made public during 26/11 trial in US court: Report

Observing that ISI had long been suspected of aiding terrorist groups while serving as a US ally in the fight against terror,the newspaper said the discovery that bin Laden lived in a fortress-like compound a stone’s throw from military facilities has heightened those suspicions and reinforced the accusations that ISI was involved in Mumbai attacks.

“It’s very,very troubling,” Frank Wolf,Chairman of House Appropriations Sub-Committee that oversees funding of the Justice Department,was quoted as saying by the Post.”Keep in mind that we have given billions of dollars to the Pakistani government… In light of what has taken place with bin Laden,the whole issue raises serious problems and questions.”

While the 33-page indictment submitted to the court names the suspect only as ‘Major Iqbal’ and does not mention the ISI,Iqbal’s affiliation to the spy agency has been detailed in US and Indian case files.

“The first public airing of the ISI’s alleged involvement in the attacks will begin on May 16 with the trial of Canadian Tahawwur Rana,” the Post article said. “The star witness will be David Headley,a Pakistani-American businessman-turned-militant who has pleaded guilty to scouting targets in India and Denmark. Rana allegedly helped Headley use his firm as a cover for reconnaissance.”

Headley trained in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps before he was recruited,in 2006,by an ISI officer,Major Samir Ali,who referred him to Iqbal,the report added.

Major Iqbal became Headley’s handler. He allegedly introduced him to a Lt Col Shah,gave him months of training before sending him to India.