Washington: American David Coleman Headley, nabbed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for plotting a major terror attack in India at the Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) behest, made many trips to Pakistan, where he spent "substantial time" undergoing training from the terror group, investigators here have said.
Headley, 49, was arrested on October 3 along with Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, at Chicago's O'Hare international airport as he prepared to board a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel to Pakistan.
According to an affidavit submitted by FBI to the US district court of Illinois, Headley alias 'Daood Gilani', at times claimed to be a consultant with or representative of First World Immigration Services, a company owned and operated by Rana.
"Notwithstanding his apparent lack of financial resources and substantial employment, Headley has engaged in extensive international travel since the second half of 2008, including multiple trips to Pakistan and countries in Europe," it said.
During his visits to Pakistan, Headley toured the unruly federally administered tribal area (FATA) and in an email questioned the notion that emerged from a survey that a large majority of the local population opposed the Taliban.
On October 3, when Headley was arrested, FBI agents checked his luggage. Among the items recovered was a photocopy of the frontpage of an August 1, 2009 issue of the Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper that published cartoons of Prophet Mohammed in 2005 which had enraged Muslims.
Headley also had a street guide for Copenhagen and a list of phone numbers, including a Pakistani one. -PTI