Headley flew PIA 7 times, named Pak father, yet went unchecked

New Delhi: In his flights to and from India, Lashkar-e-Toiba suspect David Coleman Headley flew Pakistan International Airlines seven times, mentioned his Pakistani father’s name — Syed Akhtar Geelani — in his passport and yet never raised a red flag in Indian immigration.
Top Intelligence sources have confirmed this to The Indian Express adding that as a cover, he used fake references, false entries, a quick switch of hotels — from the most expensive in Mumbai to backpacker haunts in Delhi — a shell office, shopping sprees in malls and bookstores.
His PIA flights assume significance given that their passenger manifests are routinely put through rigorous scrutiny and checks. In fact, these flights are timed in off-peak hours to facilitate careful inspection. Incidentally, Headley’s passport had his “American name,” instead of his original name Daood Geelani but it did mention his father’s name as Syed Akhtar Geelani.
The multi-agency probe into the nine visits made by Headley (between September 2006 and March 2009) and the single visit of his associate, Tahawwur Rana (November 2008) has uncovered a sinister modus operandi as the duo went about setting the stage for the Mumbai attacks.
28/01/10 Ritu Sarin/Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Jan 2010, Foreign Jan 2010, Safety Jan 2010