The Maharashtra antiterrorism squad on Tuesday made a sensational claim that Haroon Naik, arrested for the July 13, 2011 Mumbai blasts, had met slain Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a month before the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States while he was in Pakistan for training.
Naik is also said to have met 26/11 Mumbai terror attack conspirator Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi in Pakistan. Later, Haroon Naik also fought for Al Qaeda in Kandahar, where he was sent by 9/11 and Daniel Pearl murder accused Sheikh Omar.
In early 2001, Naik was sent to Pakistan by Riyaz Bhatkal, founder of Indian Mujahideen, to train in terror activities.
In Pakistan, he met Aftab Ansari — now facing the death sentence for the 2002 American Centre attack in Kolkata, who was also involved in kidnapping shoe baron Partha Roy Burman in 2001, along with Sheikh Omar.
“Naik was undergoing training at the Daura-e-Khas camp when Bin Laden came there in August 2001 and delivered a lecture,” an ATS officer said. “Naik said he was the only Indian there, the rest were foreigners, including whites.”