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 Maj. Samir are even now playing a key role in planning Lashkar’s anti-India operations.
While Bhat is now LeT’s operational commander, Maj. Samir is the main link between various terrorist outfits and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.