India seeks statements of Headley aides

India has sought from the United States the statements of 13 people associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist David Coleman Headley and his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

India has sought from the United States the statements of 13 people associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist David Coleman Headley and his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

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According to government sources, these 13 people, including Headley's second wife Shazia, could be potential witnesses in the trial of Headley and Rana in Delhi. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against the two for the larger conspiracy to carry out a series of terrorist activities in the country of which the 26/11 Mumbai attack was the initiating part.

Highly placed government sources said during the third Indo-US strategic dialogue held in Washington last week, India had sought the US cooperation to take the case to its logical end. The US has told India that it would consider the request but said that one or two people were based in Canada.

The NIA on December 24, 2011, had chargesheeted Headley and Rana for allegedly entering into criminal conspiracy with LeT to commit terrorist acts in Delhi and other places in India. The US has provided India access to Headley.