The U.S. intelligence agency warned India of a possible terror attack in October. The warning included information on hotels and business that could be attacked in Mumbai.
The U.S. intelligence agencies gained information from an intercepted satellite phone call and shared this information with Indian officials. The satellite phone number came from a known leader of the terror group claiming responsibility for last week’s attacks in India.
The U.S. intelligence agencies listed the Taj hotel as one of the targets. In November an Indian intelligence agency intercepted another satellite phone call to the terror group Lashkar e Taiba, which was the group claiming responsibility for the attack in India.
The hotel that was attacked was warned of a possible attack. They increase security, but later eased it because the chairman of the company believed they could do nothing to stop an attack.
The satellite phones that were used have SIM cards, which were believed to be originally purchased from the U.S. One of the satellite phones recovered from a captured terrorist was a Thuraya satellite phone. One model of the Thuraya phone has both satellite phone and cellular GSM capabilities. It is not sure if the intercepted calls were from a satellite phone while transmitting in satellite mode or cellular mode.
The National Security Agency (NSA) claims to have the technology to retrieve calls made from satellite phones and cellular phones in the South Asia region. NSA claims once they have the number they are able to know everyone who was called and where the calls were made from.
Lashkar e Taiba also referred to as LeT is the group taking credit for the Mumbai attacks. The group has boasted about its role in other terrorist attacks in India. They have taken credit for attacks on the Mumbai rail system and the Indian Parliament building.
U.S. counter terrorism officials say the Lashkar e Taiba is a Kashmir separatist group with strong ties to al Qaeda.
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