Mumbai attack: India fears suspect Headley may get away easily

There are serious concerns in New Delhi over reports from US that 26/11 Mumbai terror suspect David Headley may enter into a plea bargain with prosecutors in Chicago, lending credence to suspicion that he may have been actually working for the Americans.

Indian security establishment watching the progress in the case at Chicago, are worried about reports that Pakistani-American Headley would be pleading guilty in an attempt to get a lighter sentence.

Headley, who has been charged with hatching conspiracy in the 2008 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has sought plea bargain under American laws.

The US laws provide for agreement between federal prosecutors and individuals under criminal investigation, which permit them to give the government information about crimes with some assurances that they will be protected against prosecution.

Indian officials say any lenient sentence now will "confirm" that Headley, who was arrested on October 3 last for his links with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was an American agent.

India has been trying to get access to 49-year-old Headley, who has been charged with conducting recce of installations attacked by the Lashkar terrorists on 26/11 in Mumbai. Home Minister has been repeatedly demanding access to Headley. Headley had earlier pleaded not guilty to the 12-count superseding indictment filed against him on January 14 but now moved for a "change of plea" which will be heard by US District Judge Harry Leinenweber on Thursday.

It is being speculated that Headley was probably an American agent, who perhaps played a double game, working also with Pakistan-based terror groups.

The American terror suspect had got away with a lesser sentence after he was arrested in 1998 for smuggling heroin into the US from Pakistan as he cooperated with the investigation in the case. He was sentenced to less than two years in prison and thereafter went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

- Asian Tribune -