Washington, November 04: David Coleman Tahawwur Headley and Hussain Rana, arrested last month by the FBI, were part of a LeT plan a major terrorist attack in the the facilities of a Danish newspaper and the National Defense College of India, federal prosecutors have said.
Opposing the bail application of Rana Chicago court yesterday, lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department said Rana is a danger to the community and might flee the country if released.
Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years if proven guilty.
Pakistan-born Canadian citizen and resident of Chicago, Rana was arrested by the FBI on terrorism charges along with his school friend Headley, a U.S. citizen, who was also arrested on charges of plotting attacks in Denmark and India.
Headley bail plea is scheduled for December. The reference to the National Defense College, New Delhi, as a goal was made by the couple during their talks on September 7, which was recorded by the FBI.
“In the same conversation, Headley and Rana discussed Denmark and other targets including the National Defense College of India – Rana, in fact, used the English word” target “in this debate,” the FBI informed the Court.
In its amended complaint filed with the Court in Chicago last month, the FBI said Rana and Headley had discussed and appointed a number of planning objectives in their talks on Sept. 7.
“More specifically, Headley listed four objectives, one of which ‘Denmark’, then commented” [o] nce if I will pray for other actions, they call me a thief. God can help me complete this task.
“Later in that same conversation, Rana Headley asked to” convey a message “to Individual B (unidentified LeT leader),” the FBI said in his earlier statement.
The two Chicago residents then discussed the target session. More specifically, Headley referred to the previous discussion, the words noted the effect of “Oh my friend, not four, five, five.”
While Rana laughed, Headley said “Defense” twice, and Rana said, “Right, that’s all. I knew.”
After further discussion, Rana “That, uh, I thought that was the goal.” Headley said, “I do not know, but once that comes then to be known, but I will ask you to do that first.”
Rana said: “In this area – defense [UI],” the FBI said.
The conversation indicates that the LeT is giving priority to their attack on the National Defense College in New Delhi on the other objectives, including the facilities of the Danish newspaper that had published a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Justice Department also contested ground Rana in his application for bail was “deceived” by Headley and that he is innocent.
“There is nothing to suggest that Rana was” tricked “by Headley or otherwise aware of the illicit nature of their efforts.
“On the contrary, in numerous conversations, Rana and participating in exchanges Headley code to conceal the true nature of their communications,” said U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald in filings with the court yesterday.
Rana in his application for bail, said many people are willing to commit their homes and savings as collateral for the defendant’s release.
He offered to put as many as six houses as collateral for the bail application, all with a combined value of nearly a million dollars.
However, federal prosecutors opposed the bail application and that the court continue its hearing is now scheduled for November 10.
Noting that there is nothing to suggest that Rana was simply ridicule Headley, federal prosecutors said Rana was an active participant in this conversation.
“Beyond knowing and discussing that Denmark was a ‘target’, evidence shows that the Frog has been active in promoting the efforts of the conspirators,” he said.
“In particular, Rana provided a cover story by David Headley, who conducted extensive video surveillance of the installation of Jyllands-Posten, the video that was recovered during the arrest Headley.”
“Headley had access to the installation of Jyllands-Posten, acting as representative of the defendant Rana, federal prosecutors said.
“Based on the e-mail communications Headley, Rana defendant was fully aware of the true purpose of travel to Denmark Headley and Headley false pretexts used to enter the facility,” they added.
“About 29 January 2009, Rana defendant even posed as Headley to contact a representative of the press and therefore maintain the cover story Headley.”
According to them, Rana had also misled a government official, Pakistan Consulate in Chicago to obtain a visa for Headley to facilitate prospective trips abroad.
–Agencies