E-Paper
No extradition for Headley?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has indicated difficulties in extraditing Headley to India in the near future if he is convicted on terrorism charges including participating in the conspiracy to launch the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in which US national were killed.
India is unlikely to get David Coleman Headley on Indian soil any time soon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has indicated difficulties in extraditing Headley to India in the near future if he is convicted on terrorism charges including participating in the conspiracy to launch the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in which US national were killed.
The Pakistan-origin Headley is under probe in India and the US for his links with the banned Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT)
Indian officials said their FBI counterpart had hinted that Headley would have to serve his sentence in the US before his extradition could be considered.
The FBI, however, is open to cooperation with the Indian security agencies including the National Investigation Agency under agreements for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters for investigation and collecting evidence.
Senior Indian government officials, including home secretary G.K. Pillai and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao have in recent weeks articulated Delhi’s interest in getting direct access to Headley for interrogation.
“We would like to have access to interrogate these accused (Headley and Rana) persons,” Rao had told reporters.
Already, Indian security agencies have found a way around American law that does not allow direct interrogation by passing on the questions to FBI agents who, after interrogating Headley, pass on the responses to India.
The FBI hint is in line with the US emphasising earlier this month that it was “too premature” to talk about the
extradition.
“We do have an extradition treaty with India, but how that will work… going forward, I think that’s premature,” Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley had told reporters in Washington on December 11.
