26/11 accused Headley refuses to cooperate with India’s demands
24 Jun 2013 11:08 PM GMT
India's plans to get ‘limited custody’ of Lashker operative David Coleman Headley have received a setback with the 26/11 accused conveying his reluctance to either travel temporarily to India or even record a statement in the US before an Indian magistrate.
The latest inputs regarding Headley's refusal to cooperate with India's request for his ‘temporary’ custody were shared by the US with the authorities here during the Indo-US strategic dialogue on Monday. However, the move to get Headley aide and co-accused in the 26/11 case, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, seem to be on course with the US indicating that it would facilitate his testimony in the NIA case regarding the larger 26/11 conspiracy.
During his recent visit to the US for the Indo-US homeland security dialogue, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde had requested the Americans to facilitate India's bid for ‘temporary and limited’ custody of Headley. This, he had underlined, would enable him to testify in the Indian courts and help bring the NIA's 26/11 case to its logical conclusion. The US response was somewhat mixed, but a ray of hope emerged after its law officers promised to favourably address the request. Though NIA was in 2010 allowed to interview Headley in custody in Chicago, his objection to an Indian magistrate's presence during the recording of his statement ensured that it was not admissible in the Indian courts. Subsequently, Headley entered into a plea bargain with the US authorities. The plea bargain deal restrains the US from being extradited to a foreign nation.
The latest inputs regarding Headley's refusal to cooperate with India's request for his ‘temporary’ custody were shared by the US with the authorities here during the Indo-US strategic dialogue on Monday. However, the move to get Headley aide and co-accused in the 26/11 case, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, seem to be on course with the US indicating that it would facilitate his testimony in the NIA case regarding the larger 26/11 conspiracy.
During his recent visit to the US for the Indo-US homeland security dialogue, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde had requested the Americans to facilitate India's bid for ‘temporary and limited’ custody of Headley. This, he had underlined, would enable him to testify in the Indian courts and help bring the NIA's 26/11 case to its logical conclusion. The US response was somewhat mixed, but a ray of hope emerged after its law officers promised to favourably address the request. Though NIA was in 2010 allowed to interview Headley in custody in Chicago, his objection to an Indian magistrate's presence during the recording of his statement ensured that it was not admissible in the Indian courts. Subsequently, Headley entered into a plea bargain with the US authorities. The plea bargain deal restrains the US from being extradited to a foreign nation.
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