The day was November 26, 2008; the middle of the week, peak office hours and hence a crowded train station of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in India’s financial capital, Mumbai. It was already mid-morning when a nine-year-old Devika Rotavan arrived at the station with her father and brother, beaming with joy, anticipating her vacation to Pune. Her brother then excused himself to answer nature’s call, while she stayed with her father.
Devika was just nine—wide-eyed, curious, and completely unaware that her world was about to shatter. One moment, she was walking beside her father in the bustling chaos of the station, the sounds of announcements echoing overhead, people moving all around. And then—Boom.
A deafening explosion ripped through the air. Screams followed. Panic. Confusion. Bullets suddenly sliced through the crowd like invisible knives.
Devika couldn’t make sense of it all. Her small hands gripped her father’s tightly as they ducked and scrambled for cover. But before she could find safety, something sharp tore into her foot. She didn’t know what hit her. A burning sting, then darkness.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital bed. The chaos of that moment behind her, but not gone. Not really.
What she didn’t know then—what no one knew at that very second—was that she had just lived through the beginning of one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in India’s history. The date would be burned into memory forever: 26/11. The 26/11 Mumbai attacks shattered India’s sense of security, exposing glaring lapses in intelligence and emergency response. It claimed 166 lives, scarred survivors, and left a lasting imprint on national consciousness. The attack redefined counterterrorism strategies, spurred global cooperation, and highlighted the brutal reach of transnational terror networks.
Over 15 years after the bloodbath of 26/11, justice is closing in. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused and close aide of terrorist David Headley, has finally been extradited to India from the US. The Pakistan-born Canadian landed in Delhi on Thursday aboard a special flight, set to face trial for his role in the carnage. Let’s have a look at who else was involved in these attacks?
The attacks were orchestrated by a complex network of individuals associated with the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), with alleged support from elements within Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). This article delves into the roles of the key masterminds and operatives involved in planning, financing, and executing the attacks.
Masterminds and Planners
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed – The Ideologue in the Shadows
While Hafiz Saeed never wielded a weapon during the 26/11 attacks, his fingerprints were all over the ideology that fuelled it. As the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its front, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Saeed played the role of a spiritual godfather, nurturing extremist rhetoric, motivating recruits with distorted religious narratives, and providing the intellectual justification for violence against India. Although he denied any role in the attacks, multiple intelligence dossiers and global watchdogs linked him directly to LeT’s broader strategic agenda. Saeed’s sermons and fiery speeches laid the psychological foundation that made young men ready to kill, and die, for a cause built on hate.
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi – The Architect of Carnage
Lakhvi wasn’t just a planner, he was the operational mastermind who breathed life into the 26/11 conspiracy. As LeT’s chief of operations, he handpicked the attackers, oversaw their training in marine combat and guerrilla tactics, and fine-tuned the logistics from arms shipments to infiltration strategies. He sat atop the terror machinery like a general commanding a deadly mission, closely monitoring developments from Karachi. Even after the operation began, reports suggest he remained deeply involved in coordinating the support teams. Without Lakhvi, the plan would have been just another pipe dream; with him, it turned into a blood-soaked reality.
Sajid Mir – The Voice in the Gunmen’s Ears
From a nondescript control room in Karachi, Sajid Mir guided the 10 attackers through their rampage in real-time, his voice crackling through satellite phones. A senior LeT commander, Mir was no foot soldier; he was the brains managing field-level execution. He had previously conducted overseas operations and was familiar with counter-surveillance, making him ideal for the job. In the months leading up to 26/11, he had overseen the scouting missions, created detailed maps, and ensured the handlers had every bit of data they needed. When the attacks unfolded, it was Mir who gave chilling commands like “Kill them all.”
Yusuf Muzammil – The Man Who Chose the Targets
Target selection is an act of psychological warfare, and Yusuf Muzammil mastered it. As head of LeT’s India operations, Muzammil handpicked high-visibility, high-casualty venues — the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, CST railway station, and Nariman House, among others — aiming to provoke panic, disrupt civil order, and attack symbols of Indian pride. He was reportedly one of the earliest proponents of maritime infiltration for this mission. Muzammil was known within LeT circles for his ruthless efficiency and deep focus on Indian targets, making him a central node in both planning and operational oversight.
Abu Jundal (Zabiuddin Ansari) – The Voice in Hindi
When the attackers stormed their targets, they often needed language support, and that’s where Abu Jundal came in. As an Indian national turned LeT handler, he sat in the Karachi control room, coaching the gunmen in Hindi and Marathi. His task was to make them sound local, manage their media interactions, and ensure the right kind of terror was transmitted over the airwaves. He not only relayed orders but also shaped the attackers’ psychological state during the 60-hour siege. His eventual arrest and extradition gave Indian investigators a rare look inside the LeT’s control structure.
David Coleman Headley (Daood Gilani) – The Spy Who Scouted Mumbai
A Pakistani-American with a complex identity and a criminal past, Headley became one of the most instrumental figures in making 26/11 possible. Using his American passport as cover, he entered India multiple times between 2006 and 2008, conducting video surveillance of the Taj Hotel, Oberoi, Nariman House, and CST. His reconnaissance footage was so precise that it gave the attackers a layout map in their minds before they even landed. Headley knew how to blend in, posing as a businessman, forging contacts, and staying under the radar. His later confessions to U.S. agencies became a goldmine of information on LeT.
Tahawwur Rana – The Cover Provider
To make Headley’s espionage trips appear legitimate, someone had to offer a respectable front. That was Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian physician and Headley’s longtime friend. Rana used his Chicago-based immigration consultancy as a business façade, enabling Headley’s travel and shielding his suspicious activities. Whether or not Rana knew the full extent of the plot remains a subject of legal debate, but what is clear is that his support made Headley’s operations smoother and more convincing to Indian immigration and hotel authorities.
Major Iqbal – The Phantom Facilitator
Allegedly an officer in Pakistan’s ISI, Major Iqbal operated from the shadows. According to investigations and testimonies, he coordinated with Headley, funneled funds, provided fake documents, and kept the lines open between LeT and segments of Pakistan’s state machinery. He was reportedly the man who encouraged Headley to move from India-based intelligence gathering to attack facilitation. His ISI links are among the most controversial elements of the 26/11 case, raising serious questions about state complicity.
Sameer Ali – The Strategic Liaison
Also suspected of being linked to ISI, Major Sameer Ali allegedly worked alongside LeT to provide strategic and operational guidance. Though details about his role are murky, intelligence agencies believe he served as a liaison figure — helping LeT operatives evade crackdowns, ensuring safe passage for trainees, and keeping the terror infrastructure functional across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He was part of the broader scaffolding that enabled LeT to act with a degree of impunity in the region.
Support Operatives and Facilitators
Faheem Ansari
A quiet resident of Uttar Pradesh, Ansari walked Mumbai’s streets months before the attack, sketching routes and locations like CST and the Taj. His hand-drawn maps later became deadly guides in the hands of the terrorists.
Sabauddin Ahmed
Operating in the background, Ahmed was the crucial middleman — handling logistics, setting up meetings, and bridging communications between Indian operatives and LeT handlers. His role was small in visibility, but big in impact.
Zarar Shah
The tech brain of the operation, Shah created a robust communication network using VoIP and proxy servers. His setup let the Karachi control room direct the attackers live — like puppeteers pulling strings across borders.
Abu Hamza
He turned young men into sea-borne killers. Hamza trained the 10 attackers in navigation, hijacking, and handling arms aboard vessels — transforming them from foot soldiers into maritime infiltrators capable of breaching India’s coast.
Hamad Ameen Sadiq
Behind every bullet and boat, there was a bank trail. Sadiq ensured the smooth flow of funds and coordinated the purchase of gear, SIM cards, and vessels — making the logistics look effortless.
Khafa
In the final leg before the carnage, Khafa acted as a mentor — giving the attackers target briefs, motivational drills, and last-mile intelligence. He helped make their cold mission personal and precise.
Muhammad Ashraf
As LeT’s financial custodian, Ashraf allocated funds for the attack with chilling precision — arming militants, paying trainers, and keeping the web of operatives running smoothly, all without ever stepping into the battlefield.
Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed Bahaziq
From Saudi Arabia, Bahaziq funnelled funds and support to LeT, leveraging his vast network to keep the terror group financially buoyant. He made sure money was never a constraint in executing mass murder.
State Support and ISI Involvement
Allegations of state complicity in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks have centred around Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with multiple investigations suggesting that elements within the agency provided critical support to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This alleged backing included financial resources, access to secure communication networks, strategic planning assistance, and safe havens for training operatives. The involvement of individuals such as “Major Iqbal” and “Major Sameer Ali” believed to be serving ISI officers further deepens suspicions of institutional support. The Mumbai attacks thus exposed a troubling nexus between a state intelligence apparatus and a terrorist outfit, raising significant concerns about accountability and international security.
