New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said David Coleman Headley’s significant revelation that the ISI planned the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks has yet again put the spotlight on Pakistan to either act against terrorism or be labelled a terror state.
BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said Headley’s deposition in the Mumbai court is a success for proceedings on 26/11 and added this has happened because of a diplomatic relationship which has been enhanced during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Singh further said Pakistan will now find it very difficult to deny that the ISI and other terrorist organisations like the LeT and people like Hafiz Saeed were not involved in the 26/11 attack.
“Now, with this deposition of Headley, Pakistan needs to act, they need to walk the talk on terrorism, fight against terrorism. Now, if they don’t do it, then the pressure will definitely mount from India’s side and from the global powers also. Pakistan will be standing on a crossroad where they act against terror or they can be labelled as a terror state,” he added.
In a crucial deposition of Headley before the Mumbai court through video conference today, he admitted that two prior failed attempts were made by the same 10 terrorists involved in 26/11 Mumbai attacks, who tried similar attempts in September and October 2008.
Headley admitted changing his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley to enter India and to conceal his identity. Headley visited India eight times before 26/11 attacks and once after the attack. Headley also admitted to giving false information in the visa application.
In a vital revelation, Headley admitted to meeting Sajid Mir of LeT who was his main contact. Headley said that he changed his name in passport on instruction from Sajid Mir.
Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told the media that his counsel Headley has told the special court that he acted on the advice of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.
Top Mumbai Police and NIA officials were present in the court alongside the US Embassy officials.
Headley’s deposition will continue in the Mumbai court at 7 a.m. tomorrow.
It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing his evidences through video link. (ANI)