Washington: Foreign Minister SM Krishna has refused to share details on when Pakistani-American national David Coleman Headley, arrested in connection with the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack, will be interrogated by an Indian team.
Addressing a press conference in Washington, Krishna said he "cannot spell out the day-to-day updates in such delicate and sensitive matters. It is not appropriate."
But Krishna made clear that there was "overwhelming evidence that Headley is a conspirator in 26/11. India will use all the force at its command and will put forward the plea that we should have access to Headley," he said.
He also said in response to a question that India had been assured it would get access.
The minister pointed out that Headley was a US citizen fully covered by American laws. "We have to respect whatever safeguards the US system provides him as much as they respect Indian laws and our judicial process," he said.
Yesterday, at the plenary session of the Indo-US strategic dialogue that Krishna is in the US for, the minister said, "We value the support we have received from the US government in our investigations. In this regard, access to our authorities to persons who have been apprehended by your government in connection with the Mumbai terror attack is perhaps the logical next step. We are confident that our continued cooperation will lead to realization of this objective."
An Indian team is in Chicago to interrogate Headley. The team comprises officers of the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and a law officer.
This will be for the first time that 49-year-old Headley will be facing direct questions from Indian investigators over his involvement in the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 and other attacks in public places, including the Pune German Bakery blast in February this year.
Sources in India said the four-member team has prepared questions about Headley's stay in the country, especially in March 2009, his last visit to India.
Headley's travel details are being sought mainly as investigators believe that this visit may have been made to finalise synchronised terror strikes on Jewish houses located in five cities, the sources said.
US President Barrack Obama had assured India in April that Indian interrogators would get access to Headley.
In a plea bargain deal worked out with the US government earlier this year, Headley had accepted that he did indeed work closely with the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to carry out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. In return for this guilty plea, Headley will not face any trial, he will not face a death penalty and he will not be extradited to India.
In a Chicago court, Headley, who was arrested by the FBI in September last, pleaded guilty to all 12 charges of terror against him. These include conspiring to attack public places in India, and working on behalf of the LeT. He also accepted that he made several trips to India to survey the places that would be targeted during 26/11 and that he photographed these places for Pakistani handlers.
Headley's 36-page plea agreement states that "defendant agrees that, when directed by the US attorney's office, he will fully and truthfully testify in any foreign judicial proceedings held in the US by way of deposition, video conferencing or letters rogratory. Defendant agrees to the postponement of his sentencing until after the conclusion of his interrogation."