How to graduate in terror from PakistanHow to graduate in terror from Pakistan

How much time does it take for the Pakistani army and Lashkar-e-Taiba to turn an ordinary drug dealer into a terrorist? Because of the confession of Daood Sayed Gilani, aka David Coleman Headley, to planning the Mumbai attacks, we can answer that question with some degree of certainty. Gilani’s confession was recorded at the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois this month.

(BTW, could somebody please enlighten me why Indian media insists on referring to this despicable Jihadist as Headley, which is a fake name he assumed with the specific intention of hiding his Pakistani parenthood and deceiving the Indians? Is it that the Indian media takes particular pleasure in being deceived?)

1. A short, three-week, introductory course on the merits of waging Jihad. Gilani underwent this course around February 2002. I assume he passed with flying colours.

2. Another short, three-week introductory course on the key skills required to wage Jihad, including the use of weapons and grenades. Gilani took this in August 2002.

3. A three-month course in, among other things, close combat tactics, use of weapons and grenades and survival skills. Gilani passed this in or around April 2003.

4. A three-week course in counter-surveillance. Gilani did this in August 2003.

5. Another three-month course in combat and tactical training, to complete the education. Gilani passed the course with distinction, I assume, around December 2003.

In all, therefore, it took the Pakistani army and Lashkar-e-Taiba eight months and one week to turn an ordinary drug dealer with a Pakistani parent and familiarity with Pakistani culture into a competent terrorist who can do scouting work, identify and map terror destinations and so on. Not bad!

According to the confession, “Beginning no later than in or about late 2005 and through on or about October 3,2009, at Chicago and elsewhere within and witout the jurisdiction of the United States, the defendant conspired with Lashkar members A, B, C and D, and others, to commit acts outside the United States that would constitute the offense of murder and maiming…. in connection with attacks carried out by Laskhar in India.” The “others” that Gilani conspired with includes a serving officer of the Pakistani army according to records already available.

Now who was heading the Pakistani intelligence service, ISI (and by extension, its poodle, the Lashkar-e-Taiba), and the Pakistani army during much of this period while this terror attack was being put in place? Who but Pervez Kayani, the current chief of the Pakistani army.

And where is Kayani this week?

He is currently in the US, for a “strategic dialogue” with the United States that would include US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US, Admiral Mike Mullen. In the words of Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, this will mark “a major intensification” of US partnership with Pakistan.

Kayani and his compatriots are seeking $35 billion in assistance from the US during this strategic dialogue. NewsMonk recommends that they add another billion or two for expanding its “education infrastructure” as well. With Obama as the US president, they might just get it.