New York:
David Headley the Lashkar-e-Toiba operative who played a key role in the 26/11 terror plot is now set to plead guilty after presumably striking a deal with US authorities. (Watch: Headley's terror trail in India)
He's now unlikely to face the death penalty. For many the guilty plea deal may not come as a surprise given the reports that Headley was a former undercover agent for US agencies. (Watch: David Headley: Truth & lies)
He has been cooperating with US investigators since his arrest in October and as expected, David Coleman Headley has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
On Thursday, the key suspect in the Mumbai terror attacks is set to change his plea from "Not Guilty" to "Guilty."
Headley, aka Daood Gilani, an American with dual Pakistani-US citizenship had initially pleaded not guilty of plotting both the Mumbai attacks in 2008 and the planned attack on a Danish newspaper. (Read: Will David Headley be extradited to India?)
It was not clear whether Headley would plead guilty to both plots and just some of the 12 charges against him.
The charges against the 47-year-old could result in the death penalty but since Headley is cooperating with the US it's unlikely that prosecutors will seek this maximum sentence. Infact, the US has not filed a notice of its intent to seek the death penalty yet.
India's concern is how pleading guilty affects Headley's chances of being extradited to India.
Ashley J. Tellis , Foreign Policy Expert, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: "The reason India cannot have access to Headley is actually constitutional. He is a US citizen and unless he waives his rights to be interrogated by a foreign government the US constitution is prohibited from offering him to the GOI. So we have done the next best thing. Everything that you want to know we are prepared to ask him and every thing that he tells us we are sharing with you. Remember some thing about Headley. The LeT today is not simply a threat to India . It is also a threat to the US. So we have a vested interest in getting every last bit of information from this gentleman as India does. There is going to be no holding back."
A plea deal is an agreement whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter sentence. Making a plea deal is not new to Headley. When arrested on drug trafficking charges in the past, he provided so much information about his Pakistani suppliers, that he was sentenced to less than two years in jail. Prosecutors have declined to comment on what deal has been negotiated this time round.
He's now unlikely to face the death penalty. For many the guilty plea deal may not come as a surprise given the reports that Headley was a former undercover agent for US agencies. (Watch: David Headley: Truth & lies)
He has been cooperating with US investigators since his arrest in October and as expected, David Coleman Headley has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
On Thursday, the key suspect in the Mumbai terror attacks is set to change his plea from "Not Guilty" to "Guilty."
Headley, aka Daood Gilani, an American with dual Pakistani-US citizenship had initially pleaded not guilty of plotting both the Mumbai attacks in 2008 and the planned attack on a Danish newspaper. (Read: Will David Headley be extradited to India?)
It was not clear whether Headley would plead guilty to both plots and just some of the 12 charges against him.
The charges against the 47-year-old could result in the death penalty but since Headley is cooperating with the US it's unlikely that prosecutors will seek this maximum sentence. Infact, the US has not filed a notice of its intent to seek the death penalty yet.
India's concern is how pleading guilty affects Headley's chances of being extradited to India.
Ashley J. Tellis , Foreign Policy Expert, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: "The reason India cannot have access to Headley is actually constitutional. He is a US citizen and unless he waives his rights to be interrogated by a foreign government the US constitution is prohibited from offering him to the GOI. So we have done the next best thing. Everything that you want to know we are prepared to ask him and every thing that he tells us we are sharing with you. Remember some thing about Headley. The LeT today is not simply a threat to India . It is also a threat to the US. So we have a vested interest in getting every last bit of information from this gentleman as India does. There is going to be no holding back."
A plea deal is an agreement whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter sentence. Making a plea deal is not new to Headley. When arrested on drug trafficking charges in the past, he provided so much information about his Pakistani suppliers, that he was sentenced to less than two years in jail. Prosecutors have declined to comment on what deal has been negotiated this time round.
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