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The verdict in the trial of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, co-accused in the Mumbai terror attacks with David Coleman Headley, is likely to come in earlier than expected as the Chicago businessman is unlikely to testify at his own trial. Rana’s Attorney Patrick Blegen said Tahawwur Rana’s defence team was still making a final decision, but that it was unlikely Rana would take the stand. The case proceeded quickly after Headley, a Pakistani-American, wrapped up his testimony after five days of questioning by Prosecution and Defence lawyers in the trial of his childhood friend and another 26/11 co-accused Rana in a Chicago court. Prosecutors called seven witnesses today, including five FBI agents who verified email and phone communication between Rana, Headley, and “Major Iqbal,” believed to be an ISI officer. Rana was communicating through emails with Major Iqbal of ISI (low level officer), it was noted in court. An email sent from a Chaudhery Khan, another name for Major Iqbal from … [Read more...] about Mumbai terror trial in Chicago winding down

“Major Iqbal”, believed to be an Inter-Services Intelligence officer, had asked Pakistan-born Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana about the progress made on the Mumbai terror plot, the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified before a court in Chicago, in another pointer to the involvement of Pakistan’s intelligence agency in the attacks. “Major Iqbal” had telephonic talk with Rana and another co-accused in the Mumbai attacks David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American, and exchanged emails with them, five FBI agents testified during Rana’s trial in the court hearing the 26/11 case. In an email of July 7, 2008, “Major Iqbal” asked Rana if there was any “progress made on the project”. Prosecutors said he was seeking an update on the preparations for the 26/11 attacks. Defence attorneys, however, argued that any discussion “Major Iqbal” had with Rana was focussed on their plans to work as partners in Rana’s immigration business. In his deposition, Headley, an LeT operative, had said … [Read more...] about ‘Major Iqbal’ kept in touch with Rana on 26/11 plot progress: FBI

Mumbai attack co-accused David Coleman Headley on Wednesday testified that he had conducted a surveillance of the German Bakery in Pune and identified Chabad Houses in Delhi, Pushkar and Pune as potential bombing targets. The Pakistani-American said this while wrapping up his testimony after five days of questioning by prosecution and defence lawyers in the trial of his childhood friend and 26/11 attack co-accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana in a Chicago court. On the sixth day of the trial, prosecutors called FBI agents to bolster the testimony of Headley, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, who is government's star witness in the trial. Headley also testified that during the trial he had lied at times about certain events in his life. Headley said he made a video of the German Bakery which was bombed on February 13, 2010 killing 17 people and injuring 60 others. The German Bakery was attacked while Headley was under arrest by the FBI. Headley said he had made a list of Chabad Houses … [Read more...] about I conducted survey of German Bakery, testifies Headley

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 OSLO, Norway (AP) — The suspect in Saturday’s mass shooting during an LGBTQ festival in Oslo has agreed to be held in pretrial custody for four weeks and will therefore not appear in court on Monday, a Norwegian court said. Zaniar Matapour, a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, was arrested shortly after the predawn shooting in Oslo’s nightlife district and was held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and terrorism. Two people were killed and more than 20 were wounded in what the Norwegian security service called an “Islamist terror act.” The motive is unknown and Matapour has refused to explain his actions to investigators. His lawyer, John Christian Elden, said that his client objects to having his statement recorded and videotaped unless police release the entire recording to the public “with no time delay so it won’t be censored or … [Read more...] about Norway: Suspect in deadly Pride shooting agrees to custody

A subway worker was shot dead in front of her son on Sunday after an argument with a customer "about too much mayonnaise on his sandwich," the restaurant owner has told. Police said officers responded to the shooting at the downtown Atlanta gas station, in Northside Drive Southwest, about 6.30 p.m. local time. A second worker was hospitalized with injuries, Fox5 Atlanta reports. Restaurant owner Willie Glenn told local reporters: "Believe it or not, it was about too much mayonnaise on his sandwich. "He decided to escalate the situation and from there, that's when all hell broke loose." He added that the employee who was killed had her son in the store when it happened. He added: "One of the young ladies who was killed today, her son was in the store. She had a young son that had to witness all of this," he said. An on-duty manager returned fire at the suspect but missed, Glenn said. The two employees shot had worked at the restaurant for three or four weeks, he added. … [Read more...] about Subway worker shot dead by customer after argument over ‘too much mayo’

In the summer of 2005, Sajid Mir had been at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi, packed amidst the hundreds of ecstatic Pakistani cricket fans who cheered their team as it powered its way to a record 159-run victory over India. Mir, though, was in India for a game of his own. The top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander's undercover visit was the first of a series of surveillance missions which culminated in the November, 2008, attacks on Mumbai. The Lashkar intelligence operative whose reconnaissance enabled the attack, Pakistani-American jihadist David Headley, reported to Mir. From a safehouse in Karachi, Mir guided the assault team using a voice-over-internet line, personally ordering the execution of several hostages. Now, western intelligence sources have told The Hindu , Mir is being held in a safehouse run by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, along with the man who travelled with him to New Delhi — a former Pakistani military officer and military trainer … [Read more...] about Sajid Mir’s war against the world

Pakistan on Thursday said that it has put the trial of seven Mumbai attacks suspects on the fast track and any delay in proceedings is due to India’s failure to decide on a request to allow a judicial commission to interview key officials in India. In a response to the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s remarks on Wednesday that confidence between the two countries cannot be restored till Pakistan takes action against the “real culprits” behind the Mumbai incident, Interior Minister Rehman Malik indicated that New Delhi should provide more evidence to enable Islamabad to act against other suspects. “As far apprehending those responsible for the attacks is concerned, seven accused are in jail. Their trial is being conducted properly and we have put it on fast track,” Mr. Malik told reporters at the Karachi airport early on Thursday morning. “The delay in that trial is not on our part because we had a demand for a judicial commission (to visit India). Our Interior Secretary met … [Read more...] about Malik asks India to allow judicial team to interview officials

Lawyers for Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-American businessman charged with having facilitated the November 26, 2008 attacks on Mumbai, say he had no knowledge his immigration business was being used as a cover for the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rana's lawyers will argue that he was duped by his childhood friend, the Pakistani-American jihadist-turned-star prosecution witness David Headley, when court proceedings reopen on Tuesday after an extended weekend break. Deceitful conduct Charles Swift, Rana's lawyer, earlier underlined the training Headley received from Pakistan's intelligence services, his less-than-edifying past as a narcotics trafficker and his deceitful conduct with his two wives. Mr. Swift noted that his client had visited India in November 2008, along with his wife — suggesting he had no knowledge that the terrorist knowledge was imminent. But prosecutors say e-mail between the two men makes clear the businessman knew at least something of Headley's real agenda. … [Read more...] about ‘Businessman who aided 26/11 was duped’

Lashkar-e-Taiba supreme commander Hafiz Muhammad Saeed told the 10-member assault team, which attacked Mumbai in November 2008, that “being shot would feel like a pinprick, bloodstains would be like rose petals, and that angels would come down to take their souls.” Saeed's exhortation, revealed in documents filed by prosecutors in the ongoing trial of Chicago-based terror suspect Tahawwur Rana, was made after the assault team members were told they were expected to die in the attack on Mumbai — rather than escape as earlier planned. Details contained in the prosecution's proffer of evidence — a legal document that contains a summary of the arguments it intends to present — offer substantial new information on the 26/11 Mumbai plot. Sajid Mir, the Lashkar's commander of transnational operations, had overall control of the tactical planning of the operation, and issued directions to the attackers using Internet and satellite phone links. Mir, the proffer records, was instrumental … [Read more...] about 26/11: ‘ISI, Lashkar collaborated closely’

Watching the 2008 Mumbai carnage live on TV from Pakistan, terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handlers guided the attackers on phone and even asked them to change tactics to challenge the advancing commandos. The strategy followed during the 60-hour siege of Mumbai emerged during the testimony of the 26/11 co-accused David Headley in a Chicago District Court on the third day of the trial of his childhood friend and Pakistani-Canadian Tawahhur Rana. Rana has been slapped with a dozen charges in connection with the November 2008 attack in which 166 persons were killed, while Headley, a Pakistani-American and a star prosecution witness, has pleaded guilty. Headley told the court that his LeT handler Sajid Mir was in Karachi during the Mumbai attack. Sajid Mir told Headley that a couple of people were with him. Sajid Mir was in contact with the attackers via phone and he was watching TV coverage of the siege and seeing what was going on in India, he said. Sajid Mir was praised by … [Read more...] about ‘LeT handlers guided attackers watching Mumbai attack on TV’