The arrests in the United States of America and also at Italy have thrown up a whole new angle to the Mumbai 26/11 plot. Investigations by the National Investigating Agency has made it clear that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba which plotted and executed the 26/11 attack had not only used Indian and Pakistani modules to carry out the attacks, but had also accessed its modules across the continent to undertake the 26/11 carnage.
An interesting detail that has cropped up during the investigation is that there was one person who played a major role in coordinating the entire attack on Mumbai. The FBI and the Italian police have termed this man as Sajid Mir, the Indian police as Abu-al-Qama while the Pakistan authorities who have arrested this man call him Zarar Shah.
It is now clear that this man Mir alias Qama alias Shah is the most vital link to the entire Mumbai carnage as he would be able to tell in detail as how he managed to coordinate forces in the US, Italy, India and Pakistan to undertake an attack of such a large nature.
Mir according to the intelligence bureau has been in the Lashkar for nearly 15 years. The closest aide of Lashkar boss, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, this man is a professional with computers and has been largely responsible for setting up the tech division of the Lashkar. He was made in charge of the Lashkar tech cell in the year 2002 and since then he has not only become a high ranking cadre in the Lashkar but also a trusted commandant of the ISI in Pakistan.
Looking at his skills in computer education and the manner in which he was able to coordinate cadres between various countries, he was promoted to the position of trans-continental head of the Lashkar in the year 2005. It was from here that his journey began into planning the Mumbai attack. Almost single handedly he oversaw transaction of funds and also kept in touch with operatives such as Headley, Rana, the Italian duo and also Sabahuddin and Fahim Ansari every time they were executing something relating to the Mumbai attack.
IB sources told rediff.com that being the trans continental head of the Lashkar it was his responsibility to coordinate with these cadres from across the globe. Working purely on a need to know basis, this man ensured that none of the opereatives from other countries were even aware of what the other was doing. While he sent out Sabahuddin to appoint Fahim Ansari to draw out the maps, he simultaneously told both Headley and Rana to conduct reccees in Mumbai. The interesting fact is that even Sabahuddin or Ansari were aware of the fact that two other persons from Canada and Chicago were carry out a similar operation on the ground. While Ansari prepared the initial maps of the targets and sent it across to Pakistan, Headley and Rana did a finer analysis of the same.
Mir had instructed both Rana and Headley on the basis of the information provided by Ansari to do a finer analysis of the targets. Based on the information made available by Ansari, Headley and Rana went ahead and prepared finer sketches of the targets and also shot videos of the same. Apart from this Mir also coordinated with modules in other parts of Europe and ensured that a large part of the financial transactions came in from that part of the world in order to carry out the Mumbai attack.
IB sources say that it was Mir’s idea to ensure that the Lashkar becomes a global outfit and they stamp their authority in every possible country. This is the reason why the Lashkar through Headley thought of targeting Denmark, a country which otherwise would fall under the jurisdiction of the Al-Qaeda. Mir apart from overseeing operations of the Lashkar in other countries has also been told specifically by the ISI to coordinate with the Al-Qaeda since they want to see the two outfits merging in order to spread global terror together.
Pakistan conceal truth: In February 2008, Pakistan had claimed that it had arrested a person by the name Zarar Shah and he was facing trial. They also claimed that Shah had said that he was aware of who Ajmal Kasab and the rest were. However Pakistan has been extremely suspicious in its behavior where this man is concerned. A request by the US officials to interrogate Shah was denied by Pakistan authorities at the behest of the ISI. Information now trickling in from the IB and investigating agencies would suggest that the Zarar Shah who has been arrested by Pakistan is fake and he actually is a very low level operative of the Lashkar who goes by the real name, Abu Wajid. The IB says that through the Interpol a red corner alert has been sounded against this man. Moreover Indian authorities have made requests to provide his photograph which has been denied lest the truth comes out.
The IB says protecting the identity of Mir alias Qama alias Shah is of utmost importance for the Pakistan based ISI. He hold the key to extremely crucial details of the ISI’s role in spreading global jihad and he will also be a one stop information for the international contacts of both the Lashkar and also the ISI.
Sources say that pinning down this man would be crucial since he will be able to piece together the exact details of the entire Mumbai carnage and also how the international jihad factories played a role in excercising this horrific attack.
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