India preparing letter for Headley access

New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) India is expected to get access to
Lashkar-e Taiba operative David Headley within 30 days of
sending a letter of request, which is being prepared,
government indicated here on Monday.
The indication came as US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer met
Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram here and said the issue of
access to Headley was being dealt with at the highest level in
the Obama administration.
Government sources said the letter, to be sent to the US,
is being prepared and access is expected to be given within 30
days after they receive it.
India has been seeking access to Headley, a
Pakistani-origin American, to unravel all details of his
activities regarding the 26/11 attacks and plans for further
strikes in this country.
The US has shared with India a lot of information based
on his interrogation but has so far refused access to him,
citing its legal difficulties.
Headley recently entered into a plea bargain with the US
government under which he offered to present himself for
access through video conferencing, deposition or Letters
Rogatory (official request).
"I just had a very successful meeting with the Home
Minister where I talked about working very closely for
cooperation with government of India and government of US on
counter-terrorism issues," Roemer told reporters after the
meeting.
On US granting access to Headley, he said, "This is an
issue that is being taken up at the highest levels of the US
government day and night constantly."
He said it was in the interest of both India and the US
to work together to protect common people from attacks
wherever may they come from.
"As former commissioner of 9/11 probe, somebody who has
experienced loss of life, we lost 3000 people, we empathised
here in Mumbai with Indian people the tragic loss of life here
and we want to make sure that justice is brought forward to
all those involved in that kind of attack," Roemer said.
Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao yesterday said the
Home Ministry and related agencies are in touch with their US
counterparts over the access issue and "we are satisfied with
the progress these negotiations have made". PTI ACB
MYR