Major Iqbal used US number to talk to Headley in India

Washington, Jun 14: To deceive Indian security agencies, ISI's Major Iqbal used a US cell phone number to communicate with David Headley, a co-accused in 26/11 attacks, while the Pakistani-American was scouting for targets in India.

As a star witness during the just-concluded trial of his childhood friend Tahawwur Husain Rana, Headley, 50, told the Chicago court that Major Iqbal gave him the New York cell phone number starting with 646 so that both of them could have unhindered communication while he was in India.

"I had that (New York Cell phone number of Major Iqbal) before leaving for India. And these instructions that he was giving me on the last e-mail, he had already given them to me in person," Headley told the court.

"What did he say about the 646 number, Major Iqbal, to you when you talked to him about it, in person?" prosecutor asked Headley.

"He said he had a number, a United States phone number," Headley said.

"Did he explain to you how he was able to do that?" the attorney asked.

"No", he responded.

"Did he provide to you the number?" he was asked.

"He did," Headley said.

"Did he provide or did he instruct you as to when to use it?" he was asked during the trial.

Headley said that he was asked to call on that number to talk to Major Iqbal when he was travelling inside India.

PTI