The Asian Age – ‘Pakistan generals plotted 26/11 with Hafiz Saeed’

Comment: I do not trust the statements by ‘Abu Jundal’ nor do I have much faith in any statements coming from Pakistani or Indian intelligence outfits. But I do not think that the present PPP government is plotting terror attacks, and I do know that civilian governments never had control over the Pakistani Army or the ISI. It is also quite possible that this is not the doing of the Pakistan Army’s high command. Individual officers working with ISI might be supporting Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. HSKh, Man in Blue

Rajnish Sharma, Asian Age Correspondent

Delhi, 19 July 2012. In yet another severe indictment of “state support” by Pakistan to spread terror in India, top Lashkar-e-Tayyaba operative Abu Jundal has disclosed that Lashkar founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed used to often meet top Pakistan Army corps commanders in that country to plan major terror strikes in India.

Jundal has also admitted that he had himself attended some of these meetings in Rawalpindi in the run-up to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Highly-placed government sources said India’s key intelligence agencies as well as the home ministry had information about Saeed’s meetings with top Pakistan Army commanders, and that Jundal’s disclosures had only reconfirmed it further.

In fact, Jundal claims that at one such meeting top Army officers categorically instructed Saeed that the Mumbai case should be a “fidayeen attack”, and that no one should be caught alive. The Army officers were fully aware, he added, that this could cause considerable embarrassment to Pakistan.

“After the Mumbai massacre we started getting information that Saeed met top Army corps commanders in Pakistan to finalise his terror strategy against India. Now Jundal has confirmed it further, and provided some more details about it,” a senior intelligence official said.

Earlier, Jundal had confirmed the presence of Pakistani Amy officials in the Karachi control room from where the Mumbai terror attack was being monitored. He has also revealed how the weapons and ammunition used in the 26/11 attack were provided by the Pakistan Army. Now top functionaries in New Delhi’s security and intelligence agencies claim there is hardly any doubt on “state support” and involvement in the Mumbai carnage.

Jundal, during his custodial interrogation, has also revealed the entire chain of command in the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, highlighting how the hierarchy works. He claims the top nine commanders are led by Hafiz Saeed, followed by Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Muzamil Bhatt, Rehan alias Junaid alias Wali, Abu Qahafa, Abu Al Qama, Abu Zarar, Abu Jundal and Major Samir.

It is also believed that Muzamil Bhat and Major Samir are even now playing a key role in planning Lashkar’s anti-India operations.

While Bhat is now LeT’s operational commander, Major Samir is the main link between various terrorist outfits and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

http://www.asianage.com/india/pak-generals-plotted-2611-saeed-483

The Asian Age – PM gets 26/11 ammo for Zardari

Asian Age Correspondents

New Delhi, 8 April 2012. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s India visit on Sunday may be “private” but it was increasingly assuming “official” hues on Saturday for, under the broad term of “bilateral issues”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to raise with Mr Zardari India’s concern about 26/11 terror attacks mastermind and Laskhar-e-Tayyaba founder Hafiz Saeed roaming freely in Pakistan despite the evidence New Delhi has provided of his involvement.

An indication of this came when, ahead of Mr Zardari’s visit, the Union home ministry handed over to the Prime Minister’s Office all the dossiers it has given to Pakistan post 26/11, including the one on Saeed. Earlier this week, the US government put out a bounty of $10 million on Saeed.

Amidst indications that Saeed will figure in the PM-President meeting, Mr Zardari himself chose to strike a different note on Saturday. He told reporters in Lahore that he did not expect Saeed to be the focus of his meeting with the Indian PM. “My stance on Saeed is not different from that of my government. My visit to India is of a religious nature and I do not think Manmohan Singh will make me sit (and discuss only) this issue,” said Mr Zardari.

Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik is also part of the the Pakistan President’s delegation.

The Zardari-Singh meeting is scheduled for half an hour, beginning 12.15 pm Sunday at the Prime Minister’s 7, Race Course Road residence.

http://www.asianage.com/india/pm-gets-2611-ammo-zardari-107

The Asian Age – Saeed taunts US: ‘Why not kill me like Osama?’

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, 5 April 2012. A combative Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief, on Wednesday dared the United States to carry out a military raid against him like the one that killed Osama bin Laden, saying he was not hiding and would inform the Americans himself about his whereabouts.

Saeed said this while addressing a press conference with other leaders of the “Defa-e-Pakistan Council” at Flashman Hotel in Rawalpindi, close to the headquarters of the Pakistan Army. This was his first press conference after the US government announced a $10 million reward for his capture on Monday.

He even taunted the US to give him the bounty offered for him under the “Rewards for Justice” programme, saying he would himself inform the US authorities about his whereabouts. “I am not hiding in caves and mountains, I am here in Rawalpindi,” he said.

Saeed offered to disclose his itinerary for the next few days: he would go to Narowal in Punjab later Wednesday, and then to Lahore on Thursday. He said if the United States gave him the $10 million, he would use it in the impoverished province of Balochistan, and account for its expenditure. (PTI)

http://www.asianage.com/india/saeed-taunts-us-why-not-kill-me-osama-289