26/11 attacks planned, launched from Pakistan: Sabahuddin

Sabahuddin, the prime accused in the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force camp in Rampur and the attack on the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, has confessed to playing a pivotal role in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai.

Sabahuddin, who was brought down to Mumbai by the Anti Terrorist Squad on a transit remand, admitted that he and co-accused Fahim Ansari helped the terrorists carry out the attack. Ansari, a Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative, had conducted the recee before the actual attack, Sabahuddin told the interrorgators. He also confessed that the attack was carried out by the LeT and launched from Pakistan.

Sabahuddin's statement corraborates the statements made by Ajmal Kasab, the lone arrested terrorist, and Ansari, who had both confessed that the attack on Mumbai was planned and launched by LeT men operating on Pakistan soil.

Sabahuddin told the investigators that he had helped in raising funds for the Mumbai attack. He had recieved training in LeT camps in Murdike and Muzzafarabad, in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, where both Ansari and Kasab had been trained. Sabahuddin had also met LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman-Laqvi at the training camp.

After his training was complete, he was sent to India to carry out the attack on the Indian Institute of Science, along with LeT handler Abu Hamza. He fled to Pakistan after the attack, and was sent back to India via Nepal. After conducting a recce for the attack on the CRPF camp, he met Ansari, who had carried out a similar recce at Mumbai.

Ansari handed over the requisite videos and sketches to Sabahuddin, who took them to Pakistan and handed them over to  Yusuf Muzzamil, who, according to him, is in charge of LeT's operations in India.

Sabahuddin then returned to India to carry out the attack on the CRPF camp.

Sabahuddin, a drop out from the Aligarh Muslim university, told his interrogators that he chose the path of terror after being instigated by the Babri Masjid demolition and the Gujarat riots. He confessed that he had been disturbed by these events, and the LeT handlers managed to coax him into joining their mission of terror.