Troops will stay on in Siachen, says Parrikar

 

The decision is based on security concerns, affirms Defence Minister.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday ruled out any troop withdrawal from the Siachen glacier after the last week’s avalanche claimed the lives of 10 soldiers.

“The decision on Siachen is based on the security of the nation. I am disturbed by the loss of life but I think that due to this, some other solution [withdrawal] would not be the proper analysis,” Mr. Parrikar said on the sidelines of the International Fleet Review in response to questions if Siachen would be converted into a peace park.

Last Wednesday, a major avalanche hit a post on the northern glacier at a height of 19,600 feet being manned by soldiers of the Madras Regiment. One Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and nine soldiers were killed in the tragedy and efforts are still on to locate and retrieve their bodies.

Noting that chances of finding any survivor was “very less or almost nil” as the area was under tonnes of ice, Mr. Parrikar said search was still on. He noted that casualties had come down in recent times and despite the best of efforts, nature cannot be predicted

“From the information I have, there are no loose ends. It was an avalanche and even people who calculate everything before climbing the Everest lose their lives in an avalanche. These are unpredictable shows of strength by nature,” he said.

India and Pakistan have lost over 2,000 soldiers in the last three decades, most of them to extreme and unpredictable weather events. Time and again proposals have been put forward to demilitarise the glacier but India has refused any such move without proper delineation and acceptance of the current positions.

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Headley names Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, ISI in court

Former FBI agent and Lashkar operative David Headley said to a special Mumbai court on Monday that his Lashkar "colleague" Sajid Mir was his main contact in the terror outfit.

Acting on Mir's instructions, Headley changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley. He then applied for a U.S. passport with the changed name.

Headley testified that he wanted a changed name and new passport in order to enter India. "So that I could enter with an American name and to conceal my identity," he said deposing before special judge G.A. Sanap via video conferencing from an undisclosed location in the U.S.

Headley also said that Mir told him to go to India and set up an office in order to settle in India. He was also told to make "a general video of the city of Mumbai."

Accordingly, Headley came to India on eight occasions. Seven of the eight times he visited Mumbai, directly from Pakistan.

Headley also testified to making a visa application with false details for protecting his cover in India.

Headley recognised Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's photograph and ISI in the court.

"Lashkar-e-Taiba is a militant organisation in Pakistan, whose goal is to fight the Indian Army and assist the people of Kashmir. They carry out all the terror activities in India, " Headley told the court.

I joined Lashkar in 2002 for a course in Muzaffarabad, Lashkar's headquarters. I heard a speech by Hafiz Saeed saab and was motivated," said Headley during the deposition.

Headley also testified using multiple email ids to create deception.

LeT made two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks before finally striking in November 2008, once in September and another in October.

He also added that the same ten people who were involved in the 26/11 attacks made two previous failed attempts on Mumbai.

" I was arrested in Landi Kotal in FATA area of Pakistan on suspicion of being foreigner as foreigners are not allowed there. But I had a Pakistani identity card. Major Ali came to interrogate me. He is from ISI. He introduced me to Major Iqbal of ISI, because he thought I could be used in India for some intelligence work," said Headley.

The court began recording his statement at 7.10 a.m. The deposition will continue till 12.30 pm.

In 2010, Headley was arrested by the U.S. authorities and he confessed to them about his role in the 26/11 attacks. In 2013, a U.S. court sentenced him to 35 years’ imprisonment for a dozen federal terrorism crimes related to his role in the Mumbai attacks, including conducting reconnaissance of target locations. Posing as an American, he made five extended trips to Mumbai — in September 2006, February and September 2007, and April and July 2008 — each time making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in November 2008. After these trips he travelled to Pakistan to meet Lashkar members and hand over his surveillance material.

Another alleged Lashkar handler Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal is also facing trial in the case. He is lodged at the Arthur Road jail.

 

 

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