NIA team in Chicago to question Headley, US authorities mum

Himani Kumar and Yoshita Singh
Chicago, Jun 4 (PTI) A team of Indian investigators
has arrived in Chicago and is preparing to interrogate LeT
operative David Coleman Headley in connection with the 26/11
Mumbai attacks.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team, putting
up at a city hotel, is headed by Loknath Behera and comprises
two Superintendents of Police and a special public prosecutor.
However, three days after the team arrived in the US
to question Headley, there was no confirmation from US
authorities here as to when and what kind of access would be
granted to the team.
An FBI Chicago spokesperson told PTI the federal
agency would not comment or provide any information on the
Headley interrogation.
US Attorney's office spokesperson in Chicago Randall
Samborn said he "does not have any comment on anything related
to David Headley whatsoever".
Repeated calls to Headley's lawyer John Theis seeking
comment on the interrogation of his client were not returned.
The 49-year old Pakistani-American has been held at
the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center.
In an indication that access was yet to be granted to
the Indian authorities, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
said in his meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
that access to Headley was the "logical next step".
"... access for our authorities to persons who have
been apprehended by your government in connection with the
Mumbai terror attack is the logical next step," Krishna said
in his remarks before the start of the US-India strategic
dialogue in Washington on Thursday.
"We are confident that our continued cooperation will
lead to realisation of this objective," Krishna added.
Headley had pleaded guilty to conspiring in the 26/11
Mumbai attacks but struck a deal with US authorities in a plea
bargain that saved him from the death penalty and extradition
to India.
The plea agreement had however said Headley would
cooperate with foreign authorities and can be interviewed by
them only on US soil. PTI YAS/HK
MRD


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