Who Were The Pakistani Masterminds Behind 26/11 Mumbai Attacks-And Where Are They Now?

More than 15 years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks shook India and the world, justice for the victims still feels incomplete. While Ajmal Kasab, the lone captured attacker, was tried and hanged in India, several key masterminds behind the attacks continue to evade full prosecution. Most of them remain in Pakistan, either free, under house arrest, or convicted on unrelated charges.

Here’s a closer look at who they are, what role they played, and where they are now.

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi

One of the primary accused is Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the operational head of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, responsible for training, planning, and executing the operation that killed over 160 people.

Lakhvi was arrested in Pakistan in 2009 but was released on bail in 2015. In 2021, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for terror financing not for his role in 26/11. Despite India providing detailed evidence of his involvement, he has never been prosecuted for the attacks themselves and continues to reside in Pakistan.

Hafiz Saeed

Another major figure is Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the founder of LeT and chief of its front organization, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). Although he has publicly denied any connection to the attacks, both Indian and U.S. authorities consider him one of the ideological and strategic architects of 26/11. Saeed has been designated a global terrorist by the United Nations and the United States, with the U.S. government placing a $10 million bounty on him.

Over the years, he has been placed under house arrest multiple times by Pakistani authorities. In 2020 and 2021, he was convicted in several terror financing cases and sentenced to over 30 years in jail. However, none of these convictions are directly linked to the Mumbai attacks. India continues to demand his trial and conviction for his involvement in 26/11.

Sajid Mir

Sajid Mir, a senior LeT commander, played a central role during the attack. He was the chief handler who coordinated the siege in real time from Pakistan, giving orders to the attackers over the phone. For years, Pakistan claimed that Mir was dead, a claim dismissed by international intelligence agencies.

In 2022, under mounting global pressure, Pakistan quietly arrested and convicted him but only on charges of terror financing. He was sentenced to over 15 years in prison. Mir remains on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a reward of $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction for the Mumbai attacks.

Major Iqbal

Another key figure in the planning of the attacks was Major Iqbal, also known as Abu Dujana. He is believed to be an officer in Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and allegedly played a key role in supporting David Headley, the Pakistani-American operative who conducted surveillance of the targets in Mumbai. Major Iqbal was indicted in absentia by a U.S. court, but Pakistan continues to deny his existence. India has repeatedly sought his extradition and named him in official dossiers, but no action has been taken so far.

Abu Hamza

Abu Hamza, was also involved in the attack. Hamza was reportedly one of the handlers in constant communication with the terrorists during the attack. He is believed to have operated from LeT camps in Pakistan and his current whereabouts remain unknown.

David Coleman Headley

David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American and a crucial LeT operative, is the only key planner of the attacks currently serving a sentence. He conducted multiple reconnaissance missions in Mumbai prior to the attacks and videotaped several key locations that were eventually targeted.

Headley was arrested in the United States in 2009 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the 26/11 case. He is currently serving a 35-year sentence in a U.S. federal prison. Headley later turned approver and testified in Indian courts via video link, offering critical insights into the planning and coordination of the attack.

Despite years of international pressure and detailed evidence provided by Indian authorities, most of the top masterminds behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks continue to escape justice. Many of them have only faced action on unrelated terror-financing charges, a move widely seen as Pakistan’s effort to appease global watchdogs without addressing India’s core demands.

Ten terrorists of the 26/11 attacks who landed on Indian soil

All ten terrorists involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, including the lone captured attacker Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, hailed from different parts of Pakistan, predominantly from the Punjab province. Kasab, also known as Abu Mujahid, came from Faridkot village in the Okara district of Punjab. His accomplices included Abu Ismail Khan from Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Babar (alias Abu Akasha), Abdul Rehman (alias Abu Rahman), and Hafiz Arshad (alias Abu Umar) from Multan, Punjab. Others like Javed (alias Abu Ali) and Fahadullah (alias Abu Fahad) were also from Okara, while Umbar Nasir (alias Abu Nasir) and Nazir (alias Abu Umer) hailed from Faisalabad. Shaib (alias Abu Shoaib) belonged to Sialkot in Punjab.

These men, trained and radicalised by the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), infiltrated Mumbai by sea and unleashed coordinated attacks across the city from November 26 to 29, 2008. The assault killed more than 166 people and injured over 300. Their backgrounds, mostly from lower-income families, were exploited by extremist networks, turning them into instruments of one of the deadliest terror attacks in India’s history.

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