Four member NIA team to leave for US on Sunday to question Headley
May 29th, 2010 - 1:38 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, May 29 (ANI): A four member National Investigation Agency (NIA) team will leave for the United States on Sunday to question Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley in connection with his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
The team will consist of three investigators and a law officer.
Earlier, India had sought access to Headly between June 1to15.
Headley is presently lodged in a jail in Chicago.
After questioning, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) will file a chargesheet against Headley in an Indian court.
Headley, a Pakistani-American, was arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in October 2009 for plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper.
During his interrogation, he also confessed to his role in the Mumbai attacks in which Pakistan based terrorists killed 166 people.
A few days later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian said to be a close associate of Headley, on similar charges.
Rana has denied his involvement in the conspiracy.
Headley, 49, told US interrogators that he had conducted a reconnaissance of the Mumbai sites before the attacks, having visited the country several times.
He also revealed that a serving Pakistani army major trained him in Pakistan.
Headley has pleaded guilty on all 12 criminal counts against him, including his role in the Mumbai attacks conspiracy.
In exchange, US prosecutors agreed that he would not be extradited to a third country, including India, or face the death penalty.
Headley also agreed to be questioned by any foreign agency through deposition or video conferencing.
The access to Headley came after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh interceded with President Barack Obama during his visit to the US. The national security advisers of both countries also held talks on the same issue.
Following this, a two-member team led by solicitor General Gopal Subramanium visited the US to discuss the modalities of gaining access to Headley with counterpart attorney-general Eric Holder.
After his return Subramanium had said: “All the bottlenecks are removed and we have a way forward. So it’s up to us to operationalize the plan forward.”
India is expected to use the interrogation to tie up loose ends and unravel the plot behind the Mumbai attacks.
The investigators will also question Headley about the involvement of Indians in the attacks as well his Pakistani handlers. (ANI)
- Home ministry gives nod to charges against Headley (Lead) - Dec 21, 2011
- NIA charges against Headley, Pakistani terrorists soon - Dec 05, 2011
- 26/11: NIA files charges against Headley, eight others (Lead) - Dec 24, 2011
- Indian investigators in US to interrogate Headley - Jun 01, 2010
- Pak hands another dossier to India seeking more details on Headley - Aug 28, 2010
- NIA to finalise charges against Rana after US trial - May 16, 2011
- FBI has promised to hand over all information on Headley, Rana: Krishna - Dec 07, 2009
- India to seek extradition of 26/11 accused from US, Pakistan - Jan 30, 2012
- Court accepts 26/11 charges against Headley, 8 Pakistanis (Lead) - Feb 18, 2012
- India granted access to Headley - Jun 05, 2010
- NIA seeks non bailable warrants against Saeed, Lakhvi, 4 others - Jul 15, 2010
- US media seeks release of Headley terror trial tape - Oct 08, 2011
- Court asks NIA to present Headley May 31 (Lead) - Mar 13, 2012
- Rana acquitted for Mumbai, India disappointed (Intro Roundup) - Jun 10, 2011
- NIA files charges against Headley, eight others - Dec 24, 2011
Tags: barack obama, david coleman, dr manmohan singh, federal bureau of investigation, gopal, headly, interrogators, investigating agency, investigation agency, investigation fbi, manmohan, manmohan singh, member team, national investigation, national security advisers, pakistani army, solicitor general, subramanium, terror attacks, three investigators