Investigations into the arrest of a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, have revealed that the worst terror attack on India enjoyed the full backing and patronage of the Pakistani establishment, with top ISI officials Maj. Sameer Ali and Maj. Iqbal monitoring each move by the terrorists from the Karachi control room.
Jundal said the ISI officials and top Lashkar commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakh-vi were giving instructions to terrorists, and admitted that the fake Pakistani passport in the name of Riyasat Ali was also provided with the help of ISI handlers.
Giving a full description of the ISI-LeT control room in Karachi, Jundal mentioned how four laptops loaded with VoIP connections were tested in advance by ISI operatives. He described a celebratory mood at the Karachi control room as Mumbai was attacked on 26/11.
Armed with this fresh evidence, India will take up afresh the 26/11 case prog-ress with Pakistan once the interrogation of Jundal is complete, a senior official said. Importantly, contrary to reports so far, Jundal denied that LeT founder Hafiz Saeed was present at the Karachi control room. In fact, Jundal revealed it was Lakhvi who was in charge of the control room along with Maj. Sameer Ali and Maj. Iqbal. He said another top Lashkar commander, Abu Qafah, and another ISI official were also present.
Jundal is being kept at an undisclosed location amid tight security on Delhi’s outskirts. During sustained interrogation, he revealed Saeed had chaired all meetings on the 26/11 conspiracy held at various Lashkar safe houses in Pakistan. At these meetings, he reve-aled, several top Pakistani Army officials, bureaucrats and even politicians used to come to meet Saeed.
Interestingly, Jundal Saeed is under the protection of armed plainclothes ISI commandos, confirming New Delhi’s suspicion that one of India’s most wanted terrorists continues to enjoy the Pakistani establishment’s full protection.