India may seek further access to Headley in US

New Delhi (PTI) - India will take a decision on
seeking further access to Lashkar operative David Headley in
the US after perusing the complete judgement of a Chicago
court which acquitted Tahawwur Rana of charges of being
involved in Mumbai terror attacks.
Official sources said Sunday that once the details of
the decision of the jury comes out, the sleuths of National
Investigation Agency (NIA) will have parleys with experts of
international law and decide the future strategy in this case.
US state department spokesman Mark Toner had said in
Washington that US would consider giving India further access
to Headley, a Pakistani-American, who has pleaded guilty in
26/11 attack, for questioning by its investigating agencies
once New Delhi makes such a request.
NIA which is investigating the case against Headley,
Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and others had decided to wait for
the proceedings to conclude in the Chicago court before filing
a charge sheet against the accused.
The agency has also sought certain documents and
evidence that were produced in the US court and expects to
receive them.
After examining the verdict in the US court and after
reviewing the documents and evidence that it expects to
receive, NIA will take a decision on filing a charge sheet
against Headley, Rana and others in an Indian court,
official sources said.
NIA registered a case against Headley and his accomplice
Rana to probe their role in various terror strikes in the
country, including the Mumbai attack, on November 12, 2008.
The duo were booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
and for conspiring to wage war against the country.
"We have said in the past we've granted that access (to
Headley) and, you know, obviously there was the trial that
took place, but in the future we would consider providing that
access again," Toner had said.
Headley has pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism charges,
including his involvement in the November 2008 terrorist
attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. The American-born
Lashker terrorist was also a witness in the trial of Rana,
who was acquitted by a Chicago court in the Mumbai attack case
on June nine.
50-year-old Rana was convicted of one count of
conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorism plot
in Denmark and one count of providing material support to a
designated foreign terrorist organization LeT.
Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on
the two counts combined and remains in federal custody without
bond. No sentencing date was set.
India has already expressed disappointment over the
acquittal of Rana by a US Court on the count of conspiracy to
provide material support to the Mumbai attacks.
"Government has taken note of the verdict announced by
a US District Court in the Tahawwur Hussain Rana case
following the finding by the jury that Rana was guilty on two
of three counts. Rana has been found guilty on one count of
‘conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorism plot
in Denmark’ and on one count of 'providing material support to
the Lashkar e Tayyiba (LeT)'.
"...We are, therefore, disappointed that Rana was
acquitted on the count of conspiracy to provide material
support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks. However, it must be
remembered that Rana was tried in a US court in accordance
with US law. Criminal trials in the US are jury trials and
there are special rules governing such jury trials,"
Government had said in its first reaction after the verdict.