One “Major Iqbal”, believed to be a Pakistan Army officer, is among four more Pakistani conspirators charged by American prosecutors with carrying out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack at the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba’s behest.
In a second superseding indictment filed by federal prosecutors before a court here Monday, the other three were identified as Sajid Mir, Mazhar Iqbal and Abu Qahafa.
The indictment also mentioned an unnamed individual “Lashkar Member D”. All are Pakistan residents.
“Major Iqbal” is believed to be a Pakistan Army officer.
A dossier India handed over to Pakistan in February 2010 named two Pakistan Army officers — “Major Iqbal” and “Major Samir Ali” — for suspected involvement in 26/11.
The dossier was handed over during the foreign secretary-level talks in New Delhi on February 25, 2010. It is believed the role of “Major Iqbal” emerged in the FBI’s interrogation of terror suspect David Coleman Headley, arrested in Chicago in October 2009.
The four men identified were previously mentioned but not named in the indictments that charged Headley and Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana over their 26/11 role.
Sajid Mir was associated with LeT and supervised others linked with the outfit. He served as a “handler” for Headley, who confessed to his involvement in Mumbai attacks, and others who were involved in planning, preparing for and carrying out the strikes for the LeT.
—PTI