With Pakistani-American Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley pleading guilty to all 12 charges, including his role in the 26/11 attacks, India plans to step up pressure on Pakistan to act against those involved in the Mumbai attacks.
The Indian security establishment is of the view that Headley's acceptance of the charges is "unequivocal ratification" of India's stance relating to involvement of state and non-state actors based in Pakistan in terrorist activities in this country, especially the Mumbai attacks.
Indian officials were satisfied with the developments in the Chicago court because Headley agreed to "fully and truthfully testify in any foreign judicial proceedings held in the US by way of deposition, video-conferencing or letters rogatory" but opinion was divided on whether this would translate into Indian sleuths getting access to Headley to interrogate him.
Sources said India would "carefully examine" the US law to see if such a thing would be possible. "All that I can say is that it is going to be a long-drawn process," said a senior official associated with the case.
But Headley's lawyer John Theis told reporters in Chicago his client "has agreed to allow himself to be interviewed by foreign governments in this country" as part of the plea agreement.
He has also agreed to follow any direction by the office of US Attorney to "fully and truthfully participate in any debriefings for the purpose of gathering intelligence or national security information".
Sources in the Indian establishment said they believed that Headley's inputs would prove to be the clincher in India's case against the Pakistan-based handlers of the Mumbai attackers.
By agreeing to testify by video conferencing - something that is allowed in India under the Indian Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code - Headley has provided Indian investigators the option to further strengthen their case against the still-at-large Pakistan handlers.
While the plea bargain rules out his extradition to India to face trial for his role in the attacks, Indian officials say the Headley confession and the material evidence he has supplied to US investigators would go a long way in building a fool-proof case against top Lashkar operatives and some serving Pakistan Army officers for their role in the attacks.
The US has so far not accepted India's request to be allowed to question Headley. But his plea bargain changes the equation. His admission of being trained in Pakistan terror camps also nails Islamabad's lie that such camps did not exist.
Talking to reporters, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram refuted the Opposition charge that the development in the case was a "setback". "We will continue with our plea for extradition of Headley," he said.
He said the US had provided "significant amount of information" on Headley's activities but many questions remained unanswered and India wanted replies to these.
On the possibility of Headley's extradition to India, he said it would be difficult as he is accused of committing crimes in the US as well.
Home Secretary G K Pillai said the Indian government will be "satisfied" if Headley is awarded a life sentence. "The US Attorney General has advised a sentence of life imprisonment. If he gets a sentence of life imprisonment, I don't think Government of India will be unsatisfied," he said
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