FBI shares more info on Headley's India visit

Major defence establishments in and around Pune, including National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla, were on the radar of US-based jihadi David Coleman Headley who had not only videographed these places in detail but also shared it with his Lashkar handlers in Pakistan in March last year.

This was revealed by the FBI to India during its recent exchanges over the ongoing probe, making it clear that Headley -- who is currently in American jail -- had specifically been asked by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to scout for "defence installations", besides Jewish centres and places frequented by foreigners, after the 26/11 attacks.

Referring to the FBI's revelations, an official here said Headley had videographed these targets, besides other defence establishments in Delhi like National Defence College (NDC) and Raksha Bhawan, during his visit to India in March last year. Raksha Bhawan is the NDC's residential colony near India Gate.

India and US have been in constant touch over the ongoing probe. As part of the exercise, FBI chief Robert Mueller met a number of senior officials, besides home minister P Chidambaram, here on Tuesday. Information about Headley's Pune mission was, however, shared by the US agency in response to India's questionnaire in January.

Headley had visited Pune twice for this mission -- once in 2008 before 26/11 and the second time in March 2009. While he was in Delhi from March 7 to March 10 when he took videos of NDC and Raksha Bhawan, he had visited Pune a few days later when he scouted defence establishments and filmed these targets there.

Besides having the headquarters of Southern Army Command, Pune also has Armed Force Medical College and IAF Lohegaon airbase which houses India's latest and most potent Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters.

"After getting information, the Centre has sent fresh alerts to Maharashtra as well as defence ministry for increasing surveillance. The recent blast in German Bakery, scouted by Headley during his last visit, made it necessary," said the official.

Although Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has not got a breakthrough in the German Bakery probe, the suspected footprints of Headley in the incident forced security agencies to revisit Headley's interrogation files.