The Pakistan anti-terror court in Lahore has sentenced Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hafiz Saeed for terror financing. However, not many Indians may know that in December 2015, India secretly pardoned the real terror mastermind of 2008 Mumbai Attacks, David Headley.
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Hafiz Saeed Sentenced
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group, to five and a half years’ prison in a case related to terrorism financing.
Saeed was convicted and sentenced on two counts by a court in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday.
He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for being a member of a “proscribed organisation” under Pakistani law, and another five years for a charge related to “illegal property”.
David Headley Pardoned
Shockingly, while terrorist Hafiz Saeed has been sentenced, the real mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai Attacks, David Headley was secretly pardoned by the Indian government in 2015.
In December 2015, Indian court pardoned terror mastermind David Headley in exchange for information on his involvement and on others accused of similar charges.
David Headley appeared in the Mumbai court via videoconference from the U.S., where he is serving 35 years in prison for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He had earlier offered to become a witness in the case if he was pardoned, a plea the Indian government accepted.
Involvement in multiple attacks
David Headley is known to be mastermind of 2008 Mumbai Attacks, but he is involved in many more terror attacks on Indian soil. Headley was a US Drug Enforcement Agency agent working closely with FBI. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper found that since 2001 US had precise intelligence on Headley yet they did not act. Headley was involved not just in Mumbai Attack but Samjhauta Express blast as well. This information was provided by one of his ex-wives.
Shiv Sena parliamentarian Vivek Pandit has said on record that David Headley was involved in 1993 bomb blasts as well. According to Indian Home Secretary G K Pillai, Headley was involved in 2010 Pune blast at German bakery as well, dubbed the Karachi Project.
Headley’s Canadian wife’s petition for immigration to US described Headley’s training with terrorists. He was also caught in Germany and other countries for drug smuggling for DEA. His Morrocan wife told FBI about his 3 visits to Islamabad embassy between Dec 2007 and April 2008. This makes it very clear that long before Mumbai Attacks, Headley was already working as DEA agent and his activities closely monitored by CIA/NSA.
Why Indian agencies never followed these leads? Why was the real terror mastermind David Headley pardoned by the Indian government? Inspite of prior intelligence why DEA/NSA/CIA did not act?
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