FBI evidence forms core of NIA probe into Rana

H26/11 MUMBAI ATTACKS CASE

- Neeraj Chauhan

Evidence collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including intercepted conversations and emails between Tahawwur Rana, David Coleman Headley and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) planners in Pakistan, forms the key basis of conspiracy charges filed earlier this week by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, according to officials familiar with the development.

The federal agency on Wednesday filed a supplementary charge sheet calling the Pakistani-born Canadian citizen a “key conspirator” based on his interrogation and evidence collected, both by it and the FBI, which was also part of extradition documents.

For instance, the FBI recorded a conversation between Headley and Rana when they took a long car ride on September 7, 2009, in which they discussed the Mumbai attacks, Rana’s appreciation for LeT, his meeting with Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Pasha (a former major in Pakistan army and 26/11 handler) in Dubai, giving Nishaan-e-Haider (Pakistan's highest military honour to nine attackers) and the future plan to attack the National Defence College (NDC) in India.