FBI takes DNA samples of militants involved in Mumbai attacks

Sumir Kaul

Mumbai, Dec 14 (PTI) The FBI and other western
investigating agencies have taken DNA samples of all the nine
Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed in the Mumbai attacks to
ascertain if they had any Afghan or other terror links as the
probe found that the nature of explosive devices was quite
similar to those used in Afghanistan.

Sources associated with the investigation into the
November 26 terror strikes said the DNA samples had been
preserved by Indian as well as western investigators who were
ascertaining whether it matched with anyone in their data bank
of terrorists or if they were related to militants killed
during operations in Afghanistan.

The western investigators have also carried out a
detailed examination of the explosive devices used in the
attacks that left over 180 people dead and have found some
similarities with those used by terrorists in Afghanistan, the
sources said.

Lashkar-e-Taiba has sent some of its cadres to fight
along with Taliban in southern Afghanistan. The terror outfit
had earlier set up a training camp in Khost area of the
war-ravaged country.

The western forensic expertise has come in handy for
the Mumbai police and the Indian security agencies in
carrying out investigations abroad and unveiling facts that
could have otherwise taken much longer.

The FBI team accompanied by investigators from the
UK's Scotland Yard were camping in Mumbai for a fortnight
looking into clues including the Internet telephony signatures
intercepted by the Indian intelligence agencies when
terrorists were receiving calls from their Lashkar masters
across the border.

The FBI team, which came here on December one after
registering the case, had been able to break into the code of
Internet telephony.

As per the US laws, the FBI has to probe the death or
torture of any American citizen outside the US and later
submit a chargesheet.

In this case, they had also sought the interrogation
report of Mohammad Ajmal Amir, the lone terrorist arrested by
the police in the Mumbai attacks.

Six US nationals and at least one Britisher were
killed in the Mumbai attacks.

The investigators also unearthed another Pakistan link
to the audacious attack when they claimed to have found that
the connection for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
service was paid from port-city of Karachi and purchased on a
fake identity card for which 300 dollars were sent allegedly
through Western Union Money Transfer services.

The VoIP number brought from Orlando, Florida in the US
was being used by the 10 terrorists to remain in touch with
their masters across the border including Zaki-ur-Rahman
Lakhvi, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, at present under
detention in Pakistan, who is believed to be a mastermind of
terror strikes, the sources said.

VoIP is a technology that enables a person to make and
receive phone calls through the Internet.

The investigators were also focusing on a Gulf-based
operator of satellite service which was also being used by
terrorists to remain in touch with Lashkar commanders in
Pakistan.

They are also tracing back the email, sent to some
media houses, and to find out where and how may times it was
opened in Pakistan. PTI SKL
RKM