By Arun Kumar
Washington, Dec 8 (IANS) As prosecutors charged American terror suspect David Coleman Headley with conspiracy in last year’s Mumbai terror strike, the US said a Justice Department and FBI team will visit Pakistan to follow up on leads about his activities there.

The US team which briefed Indian investigators on the case in New Delhi Monday “will travel directly to Islamabad to brief appropriate Pakistani security officials,” State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday.

“We’re also working with Pakistani officials to follow up on leads regarding Headley’s activities in Pakistan,” he said hours after prosecutors in Chicago charged the son of a Pakistani diplomat and an American mother with carrying out surveillance on targets in India in advance of the 26/11 terror attacks.

Describing Pakistan as “a critical partner in the fight against terrorism,” he said: ” We are committed to building a long-term partnership with Pakistan - as the President (Barack Obama) has said, a long-term strategic relationship.”

Asked if the US will allow the Indian investigating agencies to question Headley and his alleged accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistan born Chicago businessman who has Canadian citizenship, Kelly said: “I think that’ s the kind of detail that I really have to refer you to the Department of Justice on.”

Asked if the US was satisfied with the cooperation it was getting from Pakistani authorities in the Headley case, he said: “…We have a very broad and deep relationship with Pakistan on a number of issues, including law enforcement and security issues.”

Taking note of the filing of fresh charges against Headley, 49, Kelly said: “Well, obviously, our role is to be the liaison with the governments who are concerned in these judicial issues.”

“The US Department of Justice and the FBI sent a briefing team that today (Monday) shared with Indian law enforcement counterparts information disclosed by Headley relating to his alleged roles in the November 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks and his alleged role in plotting an attack in Denmark.”

This visit, he said “reflects the President’s commitment to Indian Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh during his recent visit to cooperate closely on the case.”

“We have also been cooperating or consulting closely with Pakistani authorities on this case as well, following the practices developed in previous high-profile counter-terrorism investigations,” Kelly said.

“After the meetings in New Delhi, this team of the Department of Justice and the FBI will travel directly to Islamabad to brief appropriate Pakistani security officials,” he said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)