David Headley refuses to answer questions about wife, location

Mumbai: Pakistani-American terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley on Wednesdayclaimed that his associate Tahawwur Rana was opposed to his (Headley's) links with the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Headley, 56, said that Pakistani national Rana who ran an immigration consultancy in Chicago, US, had knowledge that he worked as an operative of the LeT.

The revelation came during Headley's cross-examination by Abdul Wahab Khan, lawyer of another alleged LeT terror operative Abu Jundal, before the Special Court of Judge G.A. Sanap, via video-conferencing from a US jail where he his serving a 35-year sentence.

"Rana was aware of my association with LeT and I informed him about the training imparted to me by LeT operatives. I also told Rana that I was spying for LeT... That must be around four-five months before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks," Headley told Khan.

"Rana had objected to my association with LeT... He asked me to stop using his office in Mumbai. I conceded to his objections and took steps to close down the office in July 2008," Headley added.

When asked by lawyer Khan about his business activities and the income from it, Headley said he had invested in it by buying four-five shops in the United Arab Emirates.

To a question whether the LeT funded him for his various activities, Headley countered by revealing that actually it was he (Headley) who donated money to the terror group.

"It was for various things and I have donated round Pakistani rupees six-seven million, the last being in 2010," Headley informed the court when asked whether his funding was used for terror acts.

However, Headley declined to answer questions posed about his wife Shazia, with whom he continues to be legally wedded.

"She never visited India... I had informed her about my association with the LeT. Originally, she is from Pakistan, I don't want to disclose Shazia's present location... I will not answer any questions about her," he made it clear to Khan.

On her reaction to his disclosures, Headley said he did not want to speak about it.

"It (reaction) is between me and her... It's our personal relation and don't want to disclose whether she objected or not or what she said," Headley said, adding that she was aware of his plans to change his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley.

When Khan persisted on questions about Shazia, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam objected and pointed out that under Indian Evidence Act Section 122, the communication between a husband-wife is a privileged one and need not be disclosed.

Headley's cross-examination, which was due to start Tuesday was taken up on Wednesday after his weeklong deposition was conducted in February.