Mumbai:
Is Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul the actor mentioned in the e-mails between Headley and his Lashkar contacts?
As more and more revelations emerge in the Headley terror plot, reports in a section of the media say that the mysterious name, Rahul, mentioned extensively in Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley's e-mails to handlers in Pakistan has finally been identified.
It's neither Shah Rukh Khan nor Rahul Gandhi, as suspected, but the son of famous filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. (Watch: It's a serious issue, says the filmmaker)
Twenty-five-year-old Rahul Bhatt is a fitness instructor and a body builder. He is in fact a friend of Headley who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago last month.
Headley, a key suspect in the terror plot against India and Denmark, which was uncovered by the FBI last month, had befriended Rahul at a gym. But the police say Rahul probably had no idea of the man's real identity.
Investigating agencies, who have already questioned Rahul, have almost given him a clean chit, saying that he appears to be innocent.
Talking to NDTV, Rahul said he was shocked when he saw reports about Headley on television and went to the police voluntarily. "I am willing to help the police...the police have given me a clean chit," Rahul said, adding, "I never showed him (Headley) any places neither for residence nor work." (Watch: 'I went to the police')
The fitness instructor said Headley was introduced to him by a common friend. "David Headley is a fitness freak. He came to me for guidance on fitness...I have met Headley 8 to 10 times."
He also said, "The pictures of Headley in the media do not resemble the Headley I met."
What Headley and Lashkar commanders discussed
Rahul's name comes up several times in Headley's emails to his LeT handlers. The FBI affidavit notes that in an e-mail in July 2009, Headley told Lashkar-e-Taiba Member A that, "I think when we get a chance we should revisit our last location again and say hi to Rahul."
A reply from LeT Member A on the same day reads: "To see Rahul is a good idea coz have some work for you over there too. Matters are good enough to move forward..."
On July 9, Headley writes again: "When you say 'move forward', do you mean in the north direction or towards Rahul..." To this Member A replies: "Towards Rahul."
On July 10, Headley writes another mail to Member A: "The visit to Rahul's place, is it for checking real estate property like before, or something different and if so please tell what you can please. Also is it in Rahul's city or different one?"
To this Member A replies: "There are some investment plans with me, not exactly at Rahul's city but near that. Rest we can decide when meet according to your ease."
In Headley's email exchanges with unidentified Lashkar commanders about Mickey Mouse Project, he says: "Rana is trying to prepare me. If this happens you should act like this and if that happens you should do that and fear nothing except God.
Headley to Lashkar commander (December 25, 2008)
"Doc (Rana) is very relaxed. He is trying to do zihan saazi (preparing asking if this happens you should act like this and if that happens you should do that and fear nothing except God."
The Mickey Mouse Project, FBI says, was a terror plot aimed at multiple locations in Denmark, one of which was Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which published the Prophet Mohammad cartoons in 2005.
In other mails, they talk about another terror mission North Investment Project in which India is a target. In this mail, Headley is told: "Revisit our last location and say hi to Rahul. Matters are good enough to move forward.
Lashkar commander to Headley (July 8, 2009)
As the mails progress, the conversations shift focus from the Mickey Mouse Project to the Northern Investment Project.
In September 2009, in Chicago, Headley and Rana took a long car ride in which they discussed ''five actions involving targets''.
The FBI says, Rana who ran the First World Immigration Agency in Chicago, made Headley travel across the world as a representative of this agency.
Headley travelled to Copenhagen, Karachi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai as a representative of this agency.
This falls in line with the cover Headley took to visit Mumbai: He came as an immigration consultant to a visa agency - Immigrant Law Centre in Tardeo's AC Market.
He even hired a Parsi lady as his assistant, who police say, possibly did not know about his intentions.
Summing up, the FBI report says: "Rana participated in a conspiracy with David Headley to provide material support and resources and to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source and ownership of such material, support and resources, knowing and intending that they were to be used in preparation for, and in carrying out, a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts."
As more and more revelations emerge in the Headley terror plot, reports in a section of the media say that the mysterious name, Rahul, mentioned extensively in Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley's e-mails to handlers in Pakistan has finally been identified.
It's neither Shah Rukh Khan nor Rahul Gandhi, as suspected, but the son of famous filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. (Watch: It's a serious issue, says the filmmaker)
Twenty-five-year-old Rahul Bhatt is a fitness instructor and a body builder. He is in fact a friend of Headley who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago last month.
Headley, a key suspect in the terror plot against India and Denmark, which was uncovered by the FBI last month, had befriended Rahul at a gym. But the police say Rahul probably had no idea of the man's real identity.
Investigating agencies, who have already questioned Rahul, have almost given him a clean chit, saying that he appears to be innocent.
Talking to NDTV, Rahul said he was shocked when he saw reports about Headley on television and went to the police voluntarily. "I am willing to help the police...the police have given me a clean chit," Rahul said, adding, "I never showed him (Headley) any places neither for residence nor work." (Watch: 'I went to the police')
The fitness instructor said Headley was introduced to him by a common friend. "David Headley is a fitness freak. He came to me for guidance on fitness...I have met Headley 8 to 10 times."
He also said, "The pictures of Headley in the media do not resemble the Headley I met."
What Headley and Lashkar commanders discussed
Rahul's name comes up several times in Headley's emails to his LeT handlers. The FBI affidavit notes that in an e-mail in July 2009, Headley told Lashkar-e-Taiba Member A that, "I think when we get a chance we should revisit our last location again and say hi to Rahul."
A reply from LeT Member A on the same day reads: "To see Rahul is a good idea coz have some work for you over there too. Matters are good enough to move forward..."
On July 9, Headley writes again: "When you say 'move forward', do you mean in the north direction or towards Rahul..." To this Member A replies: "Towards Rahul."
On July 10, Headley writes another mail to Member A: "The visit to Rahul's place, is it for checking real estate property like before, or something different and if so please tell what you can please. Also is it in Rahul's city or different one?"
To this Member A replies: "There are some investment plans with me, not exactly at Rahul's city but near that. Rest we can decide when meet according to your ease."
In Headley's email exchanges with unidentified Lashkar commanders about Mickey Mouse Project, he says: "Rana is trying to prepare me. If this happens you should act like this and if that happens you should do that and fear nothing except God.
Headley to Lashkar commander (December 25, 2008)
"Doc (Rana) is very relaxed. He is trying to do zihan saazi (preparing asking if this happens you should act like this and if that happens you should do that and fear nothing except God."
The Mickey Mouse Project, FBI says, was a terror plot aimed at multiple locations in Denmark, one of which was Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which published the Prophet Mohammad cartoons in 2005.
In other mails, they talk about another terror mission North Investment Project in which India is a target. In this mail, Headley is told: "Revisit our last location and say hi to Rahul. Matters are good enough to move forward.
Lashkar commander to Headley (July 8, 2009)
- "We should revisit our last location and say hi to Rahul. Matters are good enough to move forward."
As the mails progress, the conversations shift focus from the Mickey Mouse Project to the Northern Investment Project.
In September 2009, in Chicago, Headley and Rana took a long car ride in which they discussed ''five actions involving targets''.
The FBI says, Rana who ran the First World Immigration Agency in Chicago, made Headley travel across the world as a representative of this agency.
Headley travelled to Copenhagen, Karachi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai as a representative of this agency.
This falls in line with the cover Headley took to visit Mumbai: He came as an immigration consultant to a visa agency - Immigrant Law Centre in Tardeo's AC Market.
He even hired a Parsi lady as his assistant, who police say, possibly did not know about his intentions.
Summing up, the FBI report says: "Rana participated in a conspiracy with David Headley to provide material support and resources and to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source and ownership of such material, support and resources, knowing and intending that they were to be used in preparation for, and in carrying out, a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts."
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