Thaindian News

Washington, June 14 (IANS) As India and the US reiterated their commitment to bringing to justice the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack, India sought access to two key plotters - David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

Both Headley, son of a Pakistani father and an American mother who changed his given name of Syed Daood Gilani to scout targets for the 26/11 attack for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and his boyhood friend Rana who provided him the cover of his travel business, are currently in a Chicago jail.

“India’s interest in further access to Headley and Rana, in accordance with our legal procedures,” for the investigations into the Mumbai attack was raised during the just concluded India-US strategic dialogue, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters Wednesday.

Asked if India had sought the extradition of Headley and Rana, he said: “We are looking for access right now. We will discuss the next steps after that.”

The joint statement issued after the dialogue also “reiterated their commitment to bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack in November 2008 and to comprehensive sharing of information on the investigations and trials relating to that attack.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who co-chaired the dialogue, said the two countries are sharing information related to terrorism and other related issues.

“With respect to information-sharing it is our policy and practice to share information, and we do that,” she said declining to go into details.

A Chicago court last week dismissed a retrial plea by Rana and set his sentencing for Dec 4. But the sentencing of Headleyis yet to be announced.

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