List Of Terrorists Involved In 26/11

26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks: A Detailed List of Terrorists, Their Handlers, and Collaborators

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a brutal reminder that terrorism today is no longer limited to gunmen with ideology—it is a sophisticated, multinational operation involving terrorist foot soldiers, highly-trained handlers, foreign intelligence support, and international collaborators. The attack was not merely an act of terror—it was a well-planned, state-supported proxy war against India. Over the course of four days, the city of Mumbai was held hostage by ten men sent by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), killing over 170 innocent people and injuring hundreds more.

This article outlines the names and roles of the attackers, their handlers operating from Pakistan, and the international collaborators who enabled the conspiracy, including recently extradited Tahawwur Rana. This network illustrates how deeply entrenched and interconnected the planning of 26/11 really was.

The Ten Terrorists: The Execution Squad

These ten terrorists infiltrated India via sea, hijacking an Indian fishing trawler named MV Kuber. All were trained by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and armed with AK-47s, grenades, GPS devices, and satellite phones.

1. Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab

  • Nationality: Pakistani (Faridkot village, Punjab)
  • Target: CST Railway Station
  • Fate: Captured alive, executed in 2012 after trial.
  • Significance: His confession exposed Pakistan’s direct involvement.

2. Ismail Khan

  • Nationality: Pakistani
  • Target: CST Station with Kasab.
  • Fate: Killed during police encounter.

3. Abu Dera Ismail Khan (Abdul Rehman Bada)

  • Target: Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
  • Fate: Killed during NSG operation.

4. Fahadullah

  • Target: Taj Hotel
  • Fate: Killed in operation.

5. Abu Ali

  • Target: Leopold Café and Taj Hotel
  • Fate: Killed.

6. Abu Umer

  • Target: Leopold Café
  • Fate: Killed.

7. Abu Shoaib

  • Target: Oberoi-Trident Hotel
  • Fate: Killed by NSG commandos.

8. Abu Umar

  • Target: Oberoi-Trident Hotel
  • Fate: Neutralized by security forces.

9. Abu Akasha

  • Target: Nariman House (Jewish center)
  • Fate: Killed during the NSG raid.

10. Nasir (possible alias)

  • Target: Nariman House
  • Fate: Killed with Akasha.

Handlers: The Masters Behind the Curtain

The attack was remotely directed in real-time by Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives sitting in a Karachi control room. These individuals played crucial roles in training, planning, and guiding the attackers via satellite and internet communications.

1. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi

  • Role: Operational head of LeT; mastermind of the attack.
  • Contribution: Oversaw training camps, weapon procurement, and strategy.
  • Status: Arrested briefly in Pakistan but released citing “lack of evidence.”

2. Sajid Mir

  • Role: Chief planner and handler.
  • Contribution: Issued live instructions to attackers; monitored global media coverage to adjust the narrative.
  • Status: Listed as a global terrorist by the U.S.; believed to be in Pakistan.

3. Zarar Shah

  • Role: Tech and logistics expert.
  • Contribution: Provided GPS devices, satellite phone services, and VoIP channels to avoid detection.
  • Status: Captured in Pakistan but released due to political pressure.

4. Abu Jundal (Zabiuddin Ansari)

  • Nationality: Indian
  • Role: Handler and trainer; coached terrorists in Hindi and Indian cultural behavior.
  • Status: Arrested in 2012 by India; currently imprisoned.

5. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed

  • Role: Founder and ideological head of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
  • Contribution: Provided religious indoctrination and political support.
  • Status: Protected by the Pakistani state for years; designated a global terrorist by the UN and U.S.

6. Major Iqbal (ISI)

  • Affiliation: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence
  • Role: Coordinator between ISI and LeT; provided strategic guidance and funding.
  • Status: Named in U.S. and Indian indictments; sheltered by ISI.

7. Major Sameer Ali (ISI)

  • Role: Alleged to have coordinated logistics and surveillance planning.
  • Status: Never apprehended; believed to be active within ISI.

International Collaborators

1. David Coleman Headley

  • Nationality: U.S. citizen of Pakistani origin
  • Role: Reconnaissance agent
  • Contribution: Conducted surveillance of all target sites; took videos and maps; passed data to LeT and ISI.
  • Arrested: In 2009 in the U.S.; pleaded guilty.
  • Status: Serving 35-year sentence in U.S.

2. Tahawwur Hussain Rana

  • Nationality: Pakistani-Canadian, based in Chicago
  • Role: Facilitator and financier
  • Contribution: Used his immigration services company to provide cover for Headley.
  • Arrested: In the U.S., extradited to India on April 10, 2025.
  • Status: Currently in Indian custody; faces trial for aiding the 26/11 attackers.

3. Muzammil Bhat

  • Role: Senior LeT commander
  • Contribution: Allegedly involved in final operational phases.
  • Status: Mentioned in intelligence dossiers; location unknown.

Logistical Enablers and Local Links

Though the core attack was planned abroad, the terrorists had some logistical knowledge of Mumbai, thanks largely to the work done by David Headley. However, Abu Jundal and suspected sleeper cells may have assisted in cultural and linguistic orientation. Several suspects in Maharashtra and Gujarat were questioned for possibly aiding the attackers in minor capacities such as travel knowledge or local mapping.

Additionally, the terrorists’ ability to communicate seamlessly for over 60 hours exposed major gaps in India’s surveillance infrastructure and raised suspicion that LeT’s tech support may have had back-end access to global VoIP networks and proxy servers that further concealed their identity.

Who Protected the Terrorists?

The most disturbing truth is that despite the overwhelming evidence of Pakistan’s involvement, its government repeatedly denied any link. This denial, in the face of:

  • Kasab’s confession,
  • Forensic evidence,
  • Digital tracking of handlers in Karachi,
  • Global intelligence reports,

…revealed not just Pakistan’s duplicity but its policy of using terror as a strategic asset.

Even when the U.S. acknowledged Pakistan’s role, it stopped short of real consequences. Western powers chose to overlook Pakistan’s complicity to preserve their geopolitical leverage, particularly in Afghanistan. The UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed roamed freely in Pakistan, giving hate speeches and even participating in elections under a new political front.

Conclusion: A Web of Terror That Crossed Borders

The 26/11 attacks were not spontaneous or isolated—they were the outcome of months of preparation, international collaboration, ideological brainwashing, and state complicity. The ten gunmen who opened fire in Mumbai were just the final link in a long chain involving dozens of key players across Pakistan, India, and the West.

While India has taken significant steps in counter-terrorism since 2008—improving coastal security, fast-tracking intelligence reforms, and strengthening counter-terror squads—the true justice remains elusive. Many masterminds still roam free in Pakistan, enjoying state protection. Only continued pressure, global cooperation, and unwavering domestic vigilance can ensure that such horrors never repeat themselves.

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