Indian investigators will finally be able to question American-Pakistani Lashkar-e-Tayyaba operative David Headley who has confessed his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. A four-member team, consisting of three officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and a law officer, are expected to leave for the United States late on Sunday night.
The government sources said that Headley’s lawyers had been busy till May 31 and the Indian team was only waiting for a formal communication from the US Department of Justice when all concerned officials would be available during the visit of the Indian team to facilitate their access to Headley.
It is still not clear as to how many hours or days over the next week the Indian team would get access to question Headley.
Headley is an American based in Chicago and has roots in Pakistan. Headley entered into a plea bargain with the US government and confessed to have conducted several reccees ahead of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai. Under the plea bargain agreement, the LeT operative has offered to be available to foreign investigators thro-ugh deposition, video conferencing or letters rogatory.
Following an assurance from the US attorney general in March, the home ministry had directed the National Investigation Agency and other agencies to quickly prepare documents necessary to start a judicial proceeding in which Indian authorities could require Headley to answer questions and to “testify’’.