Washington, June 14
LeT used videos of the 2002 Gujarat riots to incite David Headley, a co-accused in the 26/11 attacks, to carry out “jihad” against India, indicating how the incident is being used as a major recruiting tool by the banned Pakistani militant group.

Headley, who was trained by LeT in terror operations, besides those from the ISI, had told the Chicago court last month that the Gujarat riots was very often the topic of discussion among them.

“Yes”, Headley said when the government prosecutor asked him if the Gujarat riot was motivating to him to carry “jihad” against India.

“It was a massacre that had happened, and they showed people running, houses being burnt. And also since that time from 2002 till 2007, the Lashkar office itself had received hundreds of letters from Muslims in Gujarat asking for help,” Headley told the court in response to a question from the attorney.

Headley told the court of having shown by the LeT leaders the hidden-camera interview of one Baba Bajrangi, said to be a VHP leader, who relocated himself from Mumbai to Gujarat during the riots.

In the video Baba Bajrangi claimed that he had killed a lot of women and burnt houses and stuff. “That’s available on YouTube and he showed it to me on disk,” Headley said referring to his conversation with LeT leaders in Pakistan.

"They're videos of the massacres that had taken place in Gujarat a few years earlier and the breaking of the Babri Mosque, other things like that," Headley said when asked about the videos being shown to him by the Lashkar leaders ahead of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

These videos were shown to Headley, when he visited the Muzzaffarabad headquarters of LeT and after the screening of each of these videos they used to discuss hatred against India.

"All of us spent a few weeks there watching videos of different actions that had taken place in India against Muslims," Headley told the court in response to a question.

"We saw a lot of videos of India," Headley said adding that these videos were seen in the company of top LeT leaders and his Pak handlers including Zaki ur- Rehman, Sajid Mir and Muzammill. — PTI

Colombo, June 14
Passenger ferry services recommenced today between Sri Lanka and India after a gap of 28 years, snapped due to ethnic conflict on the island.

‘Scotia Prince’ a 1,044 capacity ferry with nine decks docked into Colombo harbour today signalling the resumption of sea travel between the two nations, which was disrupted by insurgency.

The first ferry carrying some 200 passengers steamed into the port here to mark an official ceremony on the occasion, officials said the ferry would initially operate twice a week with the journey taking about 10 hours each way.

Ferry services operated between Rameswaram in India to Mannar, the northeastern town until 1983 when they came to an abrupt halt due to threats from the LTTE.

‘Scotia Prince’ arrived after setting off from Tuticorin yesterday. “This is the first time that the two destinations are linked by a passenger ferry service. We aim to boost trade and tourism through this service”, Rohitha Abeygunawardena the deputy minister of ports said.

Sri Lankan officials said the 100 kilo free baggage allowance would be a fillip to Indian textile merchants to do business in Colombo. — PTI

Berlin, June 14
Germany has officially recognised the National Transitional Council set up by the rebel forces seeking to overthrow the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi and opened a liaison office in their stronghold Benghazi.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle announced Germany’s recognition of the transitional council as the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people during an unannounced visit to the second largest Libyan city yesterday accompanied by Minister for Development Cooperation Dirk Niebel.

“We are not neutral but we stand by the side of democracy and freedom,” Westerwelle said after a meeting with the foreign minister of the transitional council Ali al Essawi. Until now, the council was referred by the German government as “a legitimate representative” of the Libyan people.

Germany had sided with India and abstained in the voting on a United Nations Security Council resolution on March 17 authorising the use of force to protect civilian population against attacks by Gaddafi’s forces.

Westerwelle said staying out the NATO-led air campaign against the forces of Gaddafi did not mean that Germany is neutral. “Our visit to Benghazi shows Germany is a friend and partner of the democratic forces in this country,” he said. He pledged Germany’s support for the transitional council in building a democratic and constitutional Libya, according to a press statement. — PTI

Islamabad, June 14
The US has established contacts with Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar to negotiate an end to the conflict in Afghanistan, a media report today said.

Abdul Haqiq, a former Afghan Taliban spokesman who used the alias Mohammad Hanif, played a key role in helping Washington reach out to Mullah Omar, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted a source as saying.

Haqiq was arrested by US and Afghan intelligence agents in Afghanistan in June 2007. He was one of the high profile Afghan Taliban spokesmen along with Yousuf Ahmadi, appointed after chief spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi was arrested in October 2005 in Pakistan.

Several claims have been made so far by the US about negotiations with the Taliban but Islamabad and Kabul were never taken into confidence over the talks, the report said.

The US reportedly offered the Taliban control over southern Afghanistan, leaving the north for other political forces under American influence. However, this was rejected by the Taliban. The daily quoted a Pakistani diplomat in Kabul as being optimistic about the talks.

"The Taliban are aware that it will be difficult to defeat foreign troops in Afghanistan or capture the entire country. Similarly, the US is also aware that it cannot defeat the Taliban in the next few years," the unnamed diplomat said.

A senior official in Pakistan's Foreign Office was not as sure of the success of the US-Taliban talks. "Such talks are bound to fail as Washington is trying to achieve its goals without taking (Afghan President Hamid) Karzai into confidence. If at all the Afghan Taliban agrees to the reconciliation talks, their preference will be with Afghan leaders over foreign forces," the official said. — PTI