India to US: Hand over Headley for a year

The request was made during the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue held in Washington between May 20-22

India has asked the US to “temporarily” hand over LeT terrorist David Headley for a year and extradite accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana, to get more information about the conspiracy hatched to carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008.

In fresh efforts to get access to the Pakistani-American terrorist, India has conveyed to the American interlocutors to “temporarily” hand over Headley for a year, after the US expressed its inability to extradite him.

The request was made during the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue  in Washington on May 20-22. “The US interlocutors assured us they would actively consider the request,” a top Indian official, who participated in the meeting, told PTI.     

Washington also assured New Delhi similarly on the request to extradite Headley’s Pakistani-Canadian friend Rana, who helped Headley to recce the 26/11 targets for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Following India’s consistent persuasion, the US has indicated to interlocutors that India could be given access to Headley for a second time to get more information about the conspiracy to carry out the 2008 attack.  So far, the US has not given any opportunity to question Rana, who was sentenced by an American court for his involvement in a terrorism plot in Denmark.

Indian investigators believe that if they could quiz Rana, much hidden information could come to light,  as he was a close associate of Headley.

The investigators believe that Headley and Rana have a lot of information and their interrogations could throw more light on the conspiracy hatched to carry out the worst terror strike in India and role of those behind it.

51-year-old Headley had pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism charges, including his involvement in the November 2008 attacks that claimed 166 lives. He had, however, entered into plea bargain with US authorities.

A court in the US had sentenced 52-year-old Rana to 14 years in jail followed by five years of supervised release.

Rana was convicted for providing material support to LeT and for backing a "dastardly" plot to attack a Danish newspaper but not convicted for the Mumbai terror attack despite being a close associate of Headley.