CIA files reveal Osama followed Kashmir affairs

WASHINGTON: Osama bin Laden closely followed developments in Kashmir and the trial of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, according to documents seized from the compound in which the al- Qaeda leader was killed in 2011.

The CIA on Wednesday released 470,000 files seized when US Navy SEALs burst into the Abbottabad, Pakistan compound and shot him dead.

The files revealed that Laden was interested in news related to Kashmir and several terrorists.

An Economic Times story, titled “US asks Pakistan to find Iyas Kashmiri”, dated January 7, 2010 was among the saved documents on Laden’s computer.

A February 2009 article about “Pakistani Kashmiri militants now fighting Nato forces” was also found.

They also revealed that bin Laden closely followed news related to the arrest of Lashkare-Taiba operative Headley and was a regular reader of some top Indian publications.

An Indian Express article titled “Omar Sheikh’s Pak handler Ilyas Kashmiri also handled Headley”, dated November 16, 2009, was also found on his computer.

CIA director Mike Pompeo said the release of recovered al- Qaeda letters, videos, audio files and other materials provides the opportunity for people to gain further insights into the plans and workings of the terrorist organisation.