NIA to intensify hunt for suspected ISI official Abu Yakub

NEW DELHI: The deposition by David Coleman Headley before a trial court in Mumbai on Monday has brought back the spotlight on the identity of mysterious ‘frogman’ with the National Investigation Agency ( NIA) seeking more information on this person.

Top government sources said they have specific information that the man codenamed as ‘frogman’ by Headley is Abu Yakub who they suspect to be a top ISI official, heading naval operations.

The agency has demanded a detailed probe into the role of Yakub, who is said to have trained the 10 attackers in 2008 Mumbai attacks for the sea conditions.

However, Islamabad is yet to act on their repeated reminders on Yakub and role of other Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials identified as Major Sameer and Major Iqbal who were part of the larger conspiracy.

NIA sources also said that the Headley’s testimony before the court has given a fresh impetus to their probe against his associate Tahawwur Hussain Rana and other co-conspirators in the 26/11 attack. The agency using this deposition will make a fresh bid before the US for the extradition of Rana to India under sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC)-- 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using a genuine a forged document) where there is no ‘double jeopardy’.