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Showing posts from June 24, 2012

Somalia: Briton Killed for Standing Up to Pirate Fraud Gang

A British marine expert was killed for standing up to a gang who tried to cash in on false claims that Somali pirates had attacked their ships, an inquest heard. David Mockett defied the "bully boys" and paid for it with his life when a bomb blew apart his car as he drove from work in Aden in July last year, the hearing was told. He had been investigating the Brilliante Virtuoso, a Liberian registered oil tanker allegedly attacked by Somali pirates 20 miles off the Yemen coast. In an email to his wife, Cynthia, 65, Mr Mockett had said that he "could not find any evidence of bullet holes or exposure to grenades". After his death, Mrs Mockett spoke to one of her husband's friends, John Murphy, who claimed that Mr Mockett had been killed "because of his investigation" into the tanker. She said that Mr Murphy told her two other ships had the same captain as the Brilliante Virtuoso and both had also allegedly been attacked by Somali pirates, which

PIRACY CAUSING WOBBLES IN THE EAST AFRICAN REGION

| juni 30, 2012 | A European Union ambassador and a French military naval officer have called for support from countries in the East African bloc, other African countries partners to find a proper solution to the political turmoil which has engulfed Somalia over the past two decades. The call was made by European Union Ambassador to Tanzania Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, to media representatives, who were invited to attend an EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Force Headquarters media event, held on board the French warship FS MARNE. At this event, EU NAVFOR Force Commander Rear Admiral Jean-Baptiste Dupuis from the French Navy elaborated on a series of activities that his ship will conduct in order to get rid of the piracy threat which has been affecting a lot of the traffic on the Ocean. The warlike marine vessel is on a four-month assignment against pirates, but it will also deal with other crimes going on around the ocean, in particular illegal fishing. “A military action to pre

Don't censor internet, US urges China

American officials have urged China not to censor its internet after the government blocked access to Bloomberg's website. The Chinese government had denied web access to the financial news agency following an investigative story on massive wealth amassed by relatives of Xi Jinping, the man expected to become China's new president. ''The US strongly supports respect for freedom of expression and press freedom in China, including over the internet,'' said a State Department official. ''We have continually urged China to respect internationally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms on the internet, including freedom of expression.'' Bloomberg reporters and editors declined to comment on their interactions with the Chinese government in the course of preparing the story. But a company spokesman, Ty Trippet, acknowledged that the blockage of the Bloomberg websites and its magazine Business Week appeared to be retaliatory, ''in re

Kony hunt backed

The United Nations has endorsed an African Union force to capture warlord Joseph Kony and neutralise his Lord's Resistance Army. The plan establishes a new force of 5000 soldiers and bolsters humanitarian efforts. The LRA carried out its worst atrocities in northern Ugandan in the 1990s, but by 2004 had largely been driven out of the area. Advertisement: Story continues below Remnants, however, continued to attack civilians in Uganda and three neighbouring countries. The group is notorious for carrying out massacres, mutilating victims and abducting boys for use as child soldiers. Kony and the LRA gained notoriety following a YouTube video, Kony 2012, that went viral. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/world/kony-hunt-backed-20120630-219i8.html#ixzz1zInAqKZ6

Iraq attacks kill 13

Bombings and shootings have killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 50 across Iraq, ending a month that has seen at least 220 people killed in violence nationwide. Two motorcycles rigged with explosives exploded at the same time in two markets and a third went off near a police station in Balad north of Baghdad late on Friday, police said. Mohammed Radhi, a member of the Salaheddin provincial council, said seven people were killed and 50 wounded in the blasts. Advertisement: Story continues below A medical source at Balad hospital confirmed the toll, saying that some of the wounded were moved to Baghdad, some 70 kilometres south because their injuries were so serious. Earlier, gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Khan Bani Saad south of the city of Baquba, killing four Sahwa militiamen and wounding four, a militia commander said, adding that the assailants escaped. A roadside bomb targeting a patrol in Baquba itself killed one soldier and wounded another, while gunmen armed

Colombia denies blame for 1998 massacre

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The Colombian government denies in front of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) any responsibility for an alleged 1998 aerial bombardment that left 17 people dead and 27 injured. The state is attempting to get the IACHR to revoke a ruling last March ordering it to pay compensation to the injured and the relatives of those who died in an explosion in the village of Santo Domingo in the eastern Arauca department. Two members of the Colombian Air Force (FAC) were sentenced to 30 years for their role in the deaths, which the IACHR ruled last year were caused by a bomb dropped from a FAC helicopter. The Colombian state maintains -- backed up by a 2011 ruling by an Arauca judge -- that the victims were actually killed by a FARC car bomb. Last year's IACHR 2011 ruling said that after dropping  a “cluster device” on Santo Domingo during a confrontation with FARC rebels, the FAC “continued, from the air, to bomb civilians who were trying to assist the woun

Assad lets Kurdish PKK rebels operate against Turkey from inside Syria

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The two countries nearly went to war over the PKK in the late ’90s. Now, with border tensions rising, Assad is risking confrontation again A Turkish military truck transports a mobile missile launcher to the Syrian border, in Iskenderun, Turkey, on Wednesday. Turkey is deploying anti-aircraft units along its border with Syria following the downing of one of its warplanes by Syria. (photo credit: AP Photo)   Syria has been offering citizenship to ethnic Kurds and allowing the Kurdistan Workers Party, familiarly known as the PKK and considered by the US State Department to be a terror organization, to operate against Turkey from within Syrian territory, further fueling the conflict between the neighboring countries. “After years of no ties between them, Assad has once again welcomed the PKK in Syria,” said Dr. Ely Carmon, a Senior Research Scholar at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya. The uprising in Syria, a

Syrian Groups Say Violent Day Left High Civilian Toll

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria ’s opposition on Friday reported the deadliest 24-hour period so far in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad and said rebel fighters had seized two Syrian generals, including the highest-ranking officer to fall into insurgent hands.  Accounts of the intensified mayhem in Syria came as Kofi Annan, the special envoy for the United Nations and the Arab League, prepared to hold a high-level meeting in Geneva that includes the five permanent members of the Security Council to rescue his sidelined Syrian peace plan from total irrelevance. Mr. Annan told Reuters television that he was optimistic that the meeting, to be held Saturday, would be a success. But Russia, the Syrian government’s most important backer, suggested that Mr. Annan’s hope for creating a political transition in Syria had serious problems. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry called for new cease-fire mechanisms and the synchronized withdrawal of

Peru To Combat Shining Path Through Development Program

Peru's government announced a new four-year strategy that will attempt to pacify the lawless VRAE stronghold of the Shining Path's last remaining faction. Unlike previous efforts, emphasis will be on development over militarization, a crucial change that could see the government make gains. On June 27, Peru launched Plan VRAEM, a new government initiative that seeks to combat drug trafficking and bring a stronger government presence to the Apurimac and Ene River Valley (VRAE), a key stronghold for the Shining Path guerrilla group, and the Mantara valley which lies to the region's north, reported Andina . Prime Minister Oscar Valdes stated that unlike previous government attempts to pacify the region that focused solely on combating Shining Path rebels, the new strategy will focus on development in the region. The plan will have four key aims: bringing state presence back to rural villages, lifting people out of poverty through the building of schools, roa

Sri Lanka Arrests 9 Web Site Journalists

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Sri Lankan police arrested nine journalists and seized computers and documents from the office of an independent news Web site on Friday, said a media rights group in Sri Lanka, one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.  The police said they had a court warrant to act against the Web site, srilankamirror.com , but they have not explained the reasons for the arrests, said Gnanasiri Kottigoda, the president of the media rights group, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association. The site was among five blocked by the government last year in a move criticized internationally as a violation of media freedom. A court settlement restored access to the Web site a month later. The police action on Friday clearly shows that “the government has not stopped its campaign to harass and intimidate the independent media institutions and journalists in Sri Lanka,” Mr. Kottigoda said. More than a dozen police

Russia allows NATO to use air base

Moscow:  Russia has allowed the US and its NATO allies to use a Russian air base in Ulyanovsk city as a hub for transits to and from Afghanistan. Moscow had announced plans to create a NATO transit hub in Ulyanovsk in March, and the decision was taken on June 25. The decision sparked protests in the city, the birthplace of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin. Veteran Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov termed the deal "humiliating" for Russia. However, both NATO and Russian officials have sought to allay fears that the hub would turn out to be a full-fledged base. "We have no intention to establish a base in Russia," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "This is a pragmatic arrangement which allows us to transport non-lethal weapons and troops to benefit our operation in Afghanistan." Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement: "There never has been and never will be a NATO military base in Ulyanovsk." It said the hu

Filipino military wipes out 13 NPA fighters on Luzon Island

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  This Saturday, the Filipino military wiped out 13 fighters of the radical left New People’s Army on Luzon Island, according to the Associated Press news agency. 15 Maoists were taken prisoner in two clashes in the Quezon and Zambales Provinces, in the western part of the island. The Maoists’ strength has dropped from 25,000 to 4,000 since 1986. Still, they continue to be seen as the main threat to national security. The government troops and Maoists have been fighting each other in the Philippines for more than 40 years now in a war that’s claimed over 40,000 lives. Source: http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_06_30/79817056/

‘FARC attack’ in western Colombia leaves 1 soldier dead

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A suspected FARC attack left one soldier dead and two civilians wounded in the western department of Choco, reported radio station Caracol Friday. The killed policeman was identified as the 35-year-old Mauricio Gonzalez Arango The authorities said the FARCs 34th Front, led by alias “Chaverra,” was behind the attack, in which two civilians were allegedly wounded. The attack took place in Medio Atrato, a municipality some 120 miles west of Colombia ’s second largest city Medellin . Source: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24862-farc-attack-in-western-colombia-leaves-1-soldier-dead.html

Philippine Troops Kill 13 Communist Rebels

The Philippine army says it has killed at least 13 communist rebels during two separate clashes in the biggest loss for the guerrillas in a single day this year. The army says two guerrillas were killed and one was captured in a clash early Saturday between soldiers and about a dozen guerrillas in Zambales province west of Manila. It says at least 11 were killed in a second encounter with 15 guerrillas in Quezon province southeast of the capital. The military says villagers informed troops of the presence of New People's Army guerrillas near their communities. More than a dozen rebel firearms were recovered. Government and rebel negotiators failed last week to agree to resume talks on ending the 42-year-old insurgency. Source: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/philippine-troops-kill-13-communist-rebels-16684567#.T-7i9JHAGkQ

Two ultras killed in Bihar

Two maoists were killed in Milki village of Bihar's Begusarai district, a senior police officer said on Saturday. One of the maoists, identified as Sikander Tanti shot dead fellow ultra Paltan Tanti in the village on Friday night, Superintendent of Police, Kshatraneel Singh said.     Upon hearing gun shots, the villagers gathered on the spot and chased down the fleeing maoist Sikander Tanti and beat him to death, he said.     The police arrived in the village and took possession of the Maoists bodies and sent them for post-mortem, Singh said.     The two ultras had been feuding for a long time over tilling of a plot of land belonging to a farmer, Singh added.     Three cases - two under the Arms Act and another for murder- was pending against them in a local court, Singh said. Source: http://english.samaylive.com/regional-news/bihar-news/676507488/two-ultras-killed-in-bihar.html

Colombia blames FARC for village bombing

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, June 29 (UPI) -- The Colombian government Friday told the Inter-American Court of Human Rights it isn't responsible for a 1998 bombing that killed 17 people. Colombia is petitioning the court to revoke its March ruling ordering it to pay compensation to the 27 people who were injured and the families of those who were killed in the explosion in Santo Domingo, Arauca department, Colombia Reports said. Two members of Colombia's air force were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their roles in the killings. The IACHR ruled the bomb was dropped from an air force helicopter, while the government asserts the explosion was from a car bomb planted by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Forensic evidence "unequivocally show that those who committed the bombing were not state agents," Rafael Nieto, Colombia's ambassador to the Organization of American States, told the court Friday. "There is a distance of more

Mali: Islamists Attack Timbuktu Heritage Sites

A resident of the northern Mali city of Timbuktu says Islamists who control the town are trying to destroy tombs classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Ali Yattara said Saturday that the Islamists began attacking the saints' tombs with shovels. He says they said they were responding to UNESCO's request last week that the sites be put on the organization's "in danger" list. UNESCO has said that two World Heritage sites in Mali — Timbuktu and the tomb of Askia — are threatened by conflict between competing rebel groups who have taken over the north. Islamist fighters with ties to al-Qaida have declared that they control the northern half of Mali after driving out an ethnic Tuareg separatist group. Timbuktu was a center of Islamic learning as far back as the 12th century. Source: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mali-islamists-attack-timbuktu-heritage-sites-16684647#.T-7izJHAGkQ

PKK in Syria: A Hedge Against Turkey or a Provocation?

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With both nations deploying tanks along their mutual border and tensions soaring, attention is once again being brought to the operation of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters inside Syria, and how this impacts their already frayed relationship with Turkey. Experts see Syrian President Bashar Assad increasingly allowing PKK sites in his country, and even welcoming them as a possible hedge against Turkey’s ongoing backing of the various Syrian rebel factions. The PKK have played up this role in recent months, threatening to turn Turkish Kurdistan into a “warzone” if Turkish forces invade Syria. Given how much the PKK has escalated the fight against Turkey in recent months, exactly how much more they can do is unclear. And indeed, as the PKK escalates inside Turkey, Turkish officials have been hinting at using their presence as yet another excuse for invading Syria, reflecting the double-edged sword the group could be for the regime. Source: http://news.antiwar.com

What Happened to a Mormon Missionary Turned America’s Most Wanted?

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Jason Derek Brown, a Mormon gone bad, has been on the Most Wanted List since 2007. Paige Williams reports on the California golden boy who became an unlikely and elusive fugitive.  Twenty-four years ago, before landing on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list for allegedly shooting an armored-car guard five times in the face, Jason Derek Brown was a young Mormon from Orange County, Calif., preparing for his two-year mission to France. Brown, at 19, wasn’t thrilled to be headed so far from home for so long, but his family believed in service and in living as true believers. That summer, his grandfather ordained him in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints priesthood and bought him some luggage, and after weeks of intensive missionary training in Utah, Elder Brown was on his way. It was 1988. He was serving a generation behind a fellow French missionary named Mitt Romney, but with, it would turn out, a notably different result. Romney became a candidate for p

Yemen: Landmines kill 81 in 2 weeks since al-Qaida lost control of stronghold

Yemeni military officials say landmines laid by al-Qaida fighters have killed eight people in the past three days near the former militant stronghold of Zinjibar in the country's south. This brings the total number of mine deaths since the town fell to a military offensive two weeks ago to 81. The officials also said six bodies were found Saturday outside Zinjibar and five more inside a well on Friday. They say the identities of the 11 have not yet been established. The officials say engineering teams have removed some 3,000 landmines from the area. They spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations. Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Yemen+Landmines+kill+weeks+since+alQaida+lost+control+stronghold/6867228/story.html#ixzz1zHBouPUp

Chinese Counterfeit $35 Million Worth of Italian Train Tickets

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Police sift through counterfeit Italian train tickets shipped from China at the Tuscan port of Livorno, Italy. Italian police are not surprised when they find counterfeit goods from China, but were taken aback to find $35 million worth of counterfeit train tickets for Rome's "Leonardo express" train on a ship that arrived from China. Police in the Tuscan port of Livorno discovered over 2 million Chinese-made counterfeit train tickets stashed in 28 cardboard boxes at the back of a container meant to be carrying office furniture and postcards. The tickets were all for the Rome central train station-airport "Leonardo express" train which sells at 14 euros ($19) a ticket. "The seizure of this shipment is further proof of the versatility of Chinese criminal gangs," said Livorno Chief Prosecutor Francesco De Leo at a press conference held in the port city of Livorno to announce the find. Over 400,000 containers transit through the port o

Qaeda mines in Yemen kill more than 70

SANAA — More than 50 civilians and 23 military personnel have been killed by mines sown by Al-Qaeda since the militants were chased out of areas of south Yemen on June 13, the defence ministry reported on Saturday. "More than 50 citizens have been killed by mines planted by the terrorists before they fled Zinjibar, Jaar and other localities" in Abyan province, ministry website 26sept.net reported, citing the province's deputy governor. The website quoted Colonel Said Ali Meshaal, head of a demining unit, as saying mines in Abyan had also claimed the lives of 23 soldiers, among them two officers. On June 23, local officials had put the death toll from mine blasts at 35. The deputy governor, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahwi, was quoted as saying that demining had allowed "60 to 70 percent of those displaced from Jaar and its suburbs to return home," adding that electricity and water supplies had been restored. However, he cautioned against a rapid return t

Peru Plans To Step Up Security, Inclusion In Coca Growing Region

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Peru’s government plans to invest in building a number of facilities for state-security forces in its top coca growing region in an effort to beat back a surging cocaine trade, state news agency Andina says . Interior Minister Wilver Calle has announced that the government is to build or improve infrastructure at 29 police stations, 11 counter-insurgency bases, and four anti-drug bases in the the region where the Apurimac and Ene Rivers come together, known by the acronym of VRAE, which will now also be extended to incorporate the Mantaro River valley in Junin further north, in the new VRAEM strategy. The strategy also includes a more active state presence through property and commercial registry services, consumer protection and other legal offices, as well as heavy investment in social inclusion programs such as literacy programs, school education, scholarships for higher studies, and health services through the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Inclusion.

6 Uighur Men Arrested for Plane Hijack in China

Six suspects arrested in a foiled plane hijack in the far-western Xinjiang region are all Uighur men, Chinese state media reported Saturday, adding to ethnic tension in the region days ahead of the third anniversary of deadly riots. Xinjiang is home to a large population of minority Uighurs (pronounced WEE'-gurs), but is ruled by China's ethnic majority Hans. There have been clashes between authorities and Uighurs resentful of government controls over their religion and culture. State media reported that the men arrested Friday tried to hijack a plane headed for the regional capital of Urumqi, but that their efforts were foiled by passengers and flight crew. Four crew members were injured in a tussle with the suspects, China's Civil Aviation Administration said. The plane carrying 92 passengers and nine crew members safely returned to Hotan city in southern Xinjiang 22 minutes after takeoff, according to operator Tianjin Airlines. Dilxat Raxit, spo

Haqqani network 'common enemy' of US, Pakistan, says Leon Panetta

WASHINGTON: Calling the Taliban-linked Haqqani network a "common enemy", the US has made it clear to Pakistan that both countries have to work together to deal with the dreaded terror outfit responsible for attacks on coalition forces based in Afghanistan. Stating this, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said Pakistan too has been a victim of terrorism and cited the recent killing of 17 Pakistani soldiers by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). "They lost 17 Pakistanis on a patrol to the TTP . And so every day they too are the victims of terrorism," he noted. "So we have a common enemy. It would make sense if we could work together to confront that common enemy," Panetta told reporters at Pentagon yesterday, responding to a question on the Haqqani network. It is in the interest of Islamabad as well to take action against the Haqqani network, he said. "I think he (General John Allen, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanist

For Pakistanis, India bigger threat than Taliban, Al Qaeda: Survey

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Only one in five Pakistanis have a favourable view of India with almost six in ten considering it a bigger threat to their country than the Taliban, or Al Qaeda, according to a new survey made available here. But as the survey of Pakistan by the Pew Research Centre's Global Attitudes Project notes 22 percent of Pakistanis having a favourable view of India is actually a slight improvement from 14 percent last year. Pakistanis have consistently identified India as the top threat since the question was first asked in 2009, it noted. The percentage fearing India has increased by 11 points to 59 percent since then, while the percentage naming the Taliban has decreased by nine points. Despite these negative sentiments, 62 percent of Pakistanis say it is important to improve relations with India, the survey found. And roughly two-thirds support more bilateral trade and further talks to try to reduce tensions between the two nations. Most Indians also want better relations

Students hijack US drone in midair for $ 1,000 wager

On a dare, Texas college researchers hacked into and hijacked a drone of the US Homeland Security before the eyes of the officials operating it. Using a technique called 'spoofing' where a signal from hackers imitates the one sent to the drone's on-board GPS, the Researchers managed to take control of a small but powerful drone in mid-air. The hostile takeover of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) owned by the college was done before the weary eyes of DHS officials, Fox News reported. During the experiment conducted at the University of Texas stadium, the small red drone soared into the sky following a clear set of commands entered into its computer. Shortly after, the aircraft veered to the side, making it obvious that it was no longer following its original orders. Then, the drone hurtled toward the ground as if given a self-destruct command and was saved in the last moment. And the hijacking was just for a USD 1,000 wager.But the incident has unnerved Ameri

Militant killed in gunfight with security forces

An unidentified militant has been killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests of Handwara area in Kupwara district, police said today. Security forces laid an ambush in the Bawan forests near Zachaldara, around 100 km from here, last night following information about the presence of militants in the area. They said contact was established with the militants late in the night and in the ensuing gunfight, one militant was killed.The operation was still in progress till reports last came in, they said Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/260775/militant-killed-gunfight-security-forces.html

Abu Jundal arrest: The Saudi message

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The deportation of Sayed Zabiudd-in Ansari alias Abu Jundal from Saudi Arabia to India last week has implications beyond simply its unravelling of the 26/11 plot. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's spokesman exacerbated an evolving situation by a midnight flip-flop over the release of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian sentenced to death for terrorism. Whatever the truth, the impression congeals of an administration bending to the will of jihadis and the military. The entire charade is conducted as the India-Pakistan parleys, christened as "talks" instead of "composite dialogue", loom in July at the foreign secretary level. Abu Jundal's significance is as a live witness who links the 26/11 operation in Mumbai and Ajmal Kasab and his nine dead accomplices to the hatchers, financiers and handlers of the conspiracy in Pakistan, because he was in the control room in Karachi. Although Pakistan arrested some conspirators exempting their leader Hafiz Saee

Pakistan used cricket diplomacy to survey terror targets

  NEW DELHI: More than a year before US-born LeT operative   David Coleman Headley   landed in Mumbai to conduct a reconnaissance for the 26/11 attacks , a key accused in the attacks had already travelled to India along with another LeT operative on forged passport and conducted a reconnaissance. Interrogation of 26/11 handler Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal has revealed that one Major Abdurrehman and key 26/11 accused Sajid Mir alias Sajid Wajid had visited India as cricket fans and conducted reconnaissance of important sites in Delhi and Mumbai for about a fortnight. Sources said both had traveled on Pakistani passports bearing fake names and came to watch a match between India and   Pakistan   at Mohali in 2005. Headley had arrived in India for 26/11 reconnaissance only in 2006. Also, India had begun   cricket diplomacy   with Pakistan in 2005, culminating in then Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's visit to Delhi to watch the Indo-Pak final ODI at Firoz Shah Kotla st