Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Key Mumbai Planner David Headley Tells Jury he Was 'Pleased' With 2008 Attacks

PHOTO: In this courtroom sketch, David Coleman Headley is shown in federal court, May 23, 2011, in Chicago.

Headley said he went to Pakistan to wait for word of the attacks. It was during this time that he said Lashkar members began to tell him about an attack on the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten, retribution for a cartoon the paper printed, mocking the prophet Muhammad.

Headley said that at a November 9, 2008 meeting with Lashkar members he learned a first attempt to attack Mumbai failed when the boat carrying the terrorists ran aground and sank.

Asked by prosecutor Daniel Collins how he learned about the November 26, 2008 attacks in Mumbai, Headley said he received a text message telling him to turn on the TV.

Asked what he thought about the news coverage, Headley said in his monotone voice, "I was pleased."

In discussion with one of the planners of the attacks, Headley said they marveled at the initial Indian press reports that claimed that as many as 50 to 100 terrorists were attacking Mumbai. There were, in fact, ten gunman.

Headley returned to the United States days on December 8, 2008. Headley testified that when he met with Rana in Chicago they discussed the attacks.

"I said we were even with the Indians," he testified that he told Rana. "Personally I was even with the Indians."

Headley testified that he and Rana also discussed the plan to attack the Danish newspaper and that Headley said he would conduct the scouting for the attacks.

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