| Nuclear installations across the country have been | | | | knowing that they flew from Mumbai to Pakistan |
| put on high alert as it has been found that David | | | | less than a week before the November 26 |
| Headley, a US citizen arrested by FBI on terror | | | | attack.\ |
| charges, had visited some states having atomic | | | | Establishing a 26/11 connection will help Delhi press |
| installations. | | | | its case for their extradition from the US, where |
| Sources in the Home Ministry said on Monday that | | | | the FBI arrested them last month. The duo had |
| all the state governments having nuclear plants | | | | travelled to Karachi and Lahore last year and may |
| have been asked to step up patrolling and vigil | | | | have shared details of their recce in India with |
| around the facilities as a precautionary measures. | | | | their Lashkar handlers over the email, sources |
| They said that Headley, accused of plotting terror | | | | said. |
| attacks in India on behalf of Pakistan-based LeT, | | | | Headley and Rana apparently reported to |
| had visited Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar | | | | Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (Huji) operative Ilyas |
| Pradesh - all having crucial nuclear installations - | | | | Kashmiri, who has been linked to 26/11 through |
| raising suspicion that nuclear facilities could be on | | | | intercepts of phone conversations between the |
| the radar of the terrorists. | | | | Nariman House gunmen and their Pakistani |
| "The step is precautionary in nature. The states | | | | handlers. |
| have been asked to increase the vigil and | | | | According to Headley’s emails quoted in the |
| patrolling to thwart any sabotage attempt aimed | | | | FBI affidavit to a Chicago court, Headley was so |
| at these vital facilities," a Home Ministry official | | | | close to Kashmiri that he was |
| said. | | | | “heart-broken” to hear reports of his |
| There are six major nuclear energy plants | | | | death in US drone attacks on Pakistan’s |
| operational in the country- Narora in Uttar | | | | western front.“ |
| Pardesh, Kaiga in Karnataka, Tarapur in | | | | He says in a note to an email group that after |
| Maharashtra, Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, Kakrapar | | | | Kashmiri’s demise there was no hope for |
| in Gujarat and Kota in Rajasthan, besides several | | | | new operations (in India) any more. He said they |
| other research and development centres like | | | | were ‘now like a company that had gone |
| Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Trombay. PTI | | | | bankrupt’,” the NIA official said. It was |
| Even as investigators are trailing the arrested | | | | later reported that Kashmiri had survived the |
| US-based Lashkar terror duo’s footprints in | | | | attacks. |
| India and possible links to the 26/11 attacks, the | | | | More than 20 teams have fanned out across India |
| Centre has on the basis of fresh intelligence inputs | | | | to unearth Headley and Rana’s trail. Headley |
| put nuclear installations across the country on high | | | | visited India at least nine times while Rana |
| alert. | | | | accompanied him only once but travelled |
| Though the input is specifically meant for Bhabha | | | | extensively. |
| Atomic Research Centre (Barc) in Trombay | | | | Sources said that around November 16-17 last |
| (Mumbai), the alerts have been sent to all the | | | | year, the duo were in Kochi, allegedly scouting for |
| states having nuclear plants. They have been | | | | people interested in going abroad. They are |
| asked to step up patrolling and vigil around the | | | | suspected to have recruited youths to set up |
| facilities as a precautionary measure. | | | | sleeper cells in “target” countries. |
| Besides putting Barc facilities on highest alert, the | | | | “The NIA teams have to get every detail |
| government has directed the Navy, Coast Guard | | | | about whom they met in Kochi, Ahmedabad and |
| and all other security agencies to take measures | | | | Mumbai, and who and how many people they |
| to protect such installations as most of them are | | | | sent abroad,” a home ministry official said. |
| located on the coast. | | | | “The hundreds who have met or known |
| “The step is precautionary in nature. The | | | | Headley need to be found out and questioned |
| states have been asked to increase vigil to | | | | —Rahul Bhatt (Mahesh Bhatt’s son) is only |
| thwart any sabotage attempt aimed at these | | | | one of them.” |
| vital facilities,” a senior home ministry official | | | | Sleuths claim to have identified all the Indian hotels |
| said. | | | | where the duo checked in last year and are now |
| Indian investigators claim they are inching towards | | | | trying to pinpoint the private homes where they |
| linking alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives David | | | | may have stayed. |
| Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana to 26/11, | | | | |