Chicago: Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist, David Coleman Headley, answered to all the questions of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) team for a week and there was "no restriction" the questions posed by the Indian investigators, US Justice Department said on Thursday.
"Headley and his counsel agreed to the meetings (with the Indian investigators) and Headley answered the Indian investigators' questions over the course of seven days of interviews. There were no restrictions on the questions posed by Indian investigators," said Randall Samborn, spokesperson for the US Justice Department.
A four-member team of NIA officials, led by Loknath Bahera, questioned Headley face-to-face, eliciting information about his role in the Mumbai attacks, the wider conspiracy and all those involved in the carnage.
The team has concluded questioning of Mumbai terror suspect and has headed back home, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar had told PTI.
"As part of the cooperation and partnership between the US and India in the fight against international terrorism, Indian law enforcement officials were provided direct access to interview David Coleman Headley," Samborn said.
To protect the confidentiality of the investigations being conducted by both India and the United States, both countries have agreed not to disclose the contents of the interviews, the spokesperson added.
Headley had, on March 18, pleaded guilty to conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008, as well as later planning to attack a Danish newspaper, 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.
India had asked the US to grant access to the 49-year-old Headley, being held in the federal lock-up Metropolitan Correctional Centre in Chicago.