Pak Major key link between Headley, terrorist leaders in Pak

A Lahore-based retired Army major has emerged as a key link between Mumbai terror attack suspect David Coleman Headley and his Pakistani handlers who guided him in planning and plotting strikes in India.

Retd Major Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, also known as Pasha or Major, has been charged by the FBI in a Chicago court on two counts of conspiring terror attacks in association with Headley, the US national of Pakistani-origin, and two other Pakistan-based terrorists.

Abdur Rehman coordinated with HuJI leader Ilyas Kashmiri and a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the US, and conspired within and outside the US to provide material support to that conspiracy, the FBI said in its 42-page charge sheet.

Headley, arrested on Oct 3, has been charged with criminal conspiracy in Mumbai terror attacks and having links with Rehman who liaised between him and terror groups including LeT and HuJI, according to an FBI charge sheet.

Rehman has also been charged with participating in planning a terrorist attack in Denmark, and coordinating with Headley in his surveillance of the intended targets.

Pasha, referred to as individual A in FBI documents, also facilitated communication on planning of an attack between Headley and another terrorist leader identified as LeT Member A and Ilyas Kashmiri, a leader of Harakat-ul Jihad-al Islami.