Shiv Sena Bhavan, Siddhivinayak, naval air base were on LeT radar: David Headley

Terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was contemplating attacking the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar, Siddhivinayak temple and the Naval Air Base in Mumbai, according to the 26/11 attacks accused-turned-approver David Headley. He, however, advised them to avoid the temple and the air base as possible targets, because for the operation to be successful, all 10 attackers needed to be at one place.

In his deposition before a session's court in Mumbai, Headley said he visited the Shiv Sena Bhavan twice and videographed it with the help one Rajaram Rege, who was supposedly the public relations officer of the Shiv Sena chief's son.

Headley said said he had developed good relations with Rege, because LeT would have been interested in attacking the Sena headquarters or its chief. He then submitted the video clippings to LeT operative Sajid Mir.

Further, he also claimed to have surveyed the naval Air base and the international airport for Lashkar as possible targets. Headley claimed that though Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi wanted to attack the airport, the idea was finally dropped.

In another revelation, Headley claimed to have visited the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with a view to recruit some employees from there, who could pass on classified information to him. He would then have passed that information to Pakistani spy agency ISI. When asked why ISI was interested in this information, he replied, "I guess both countries do that for each other."

Headley also claimed that it was he who had dissuaded Lakhvi from finalising the landing point for attackers as Gateway of India instead of Budhwar Park because if 10 attackers would have landed at Gateway of India, then they would have had to pass several naval installations, increasing the chances of them being detected. Rooting for Budhwar Park as the landing place for attackers, Headley said the place was strategically located as it was surrounded by shanties.