US financed my Pak trip once: Headley

Mumbai, March 23

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Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley today said the US had once financed his trip to Pakistan and also claimed that he had “donated” about Rs 70 lakh to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) till 2006, two years before the Mumbai attacks.

The 55-year-old terrorist, who was cross-examined via a video link from the US, told the court that after his arrest in 1998, “The Drug Enforcement Authority (DEA) of the US financed my trip. I was in contact with DEA then, but it is not true that between 1988 and 1998 I was providing information or assisting DEA”.

Headley, who is serving a 35-year jail term in the US and has turned approver in the 26/11 case, contradicted reports that he had received money from the LeT.

“I never received money from LeT... this is complete nonsense. I gave funds to LeT myself. I had donated more than 60 to 70 lakh Pakistani Rupees to LeT,” Headley told the court.

Headley refused to answer questions about his wife Shazia to whom he had disclosed about his links with LeT. — PTI