The Hindu : Ansari reveals links with Omar Sheikh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 13, 2002

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Ansari reveals links with Omar Sheikh

New Delhi May 12. Aftab Ansari, the alleged mastermind of the Kolkata American Center attack, has revealed he was closely associated with Saeed Omar Sheikh, prime accused in the U.S. journalist, Daniel Pearl kidnap-cum-murder case, and that the latter had provided him ``all kinds of support'' for his activities.

Disclosing the nexus between Pakistan-based terrorists and the Indian underworld, Ansari also told his interrogators that the January 22 attack was undertaken because the Lashker-e-Taiba wanted to take revenge against the U.S. and he wanted to avenge the killing of his associate, Asif Raza Khan, by police.

Ansari, who is in the custody of Delhi police since last Monday, has also said that he met Omar Sheikh, a senior leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit, first in an Indian jail.

Ansari later went to Pakistan and Omar Sheikh provided all kinds of logistic and other kinds of support to him there.

``Omar Sheikh even got Ansari's Pakistani passport made in the name of Azhar in February 2001,'' the sources said, adding he had stayed in Pakistan for over a year.

Omar Sheikh was also instrumental in introducing Ansari to ISI operatives who sought the latter's cooperation in carrying out subversive activities in India, they said.

Ansari, who was deported to India from Dubai in February, has also disclosed his association with the LeT's commander, Azam Cheema, his deputy, Fahadullah Abdul Karim alias Tunda, and three Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HUJI) militants — Mufti Kifayatullah alias Zafar, a Pak.-based Indian, Javed Varaich and Mehboob alias Noor.

``The plan to carry out the attack on the American Center on January 22 this year was conceived by Ansari and the LeT commander, Fahadullah, in Pakistan under ISI's guidance,'' the sources said citing Ansari's confessions. Ansari has also revealed that he had got several militants of different terrorist outfits settled in India through his aides — Asif Raza Khan, Arshad Khan alias Masab, Anita Das, Tariq Mehboob alias Naeem, Mohd Idrish alias Wazid and Mohd Saleem— PTI

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