New Delhi: India's efforts to get access to Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley is likely to get a fresh impetus. Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam is leaving for Washington on Saturday for discussions with the US Justice Department about access to Headley, who is accused of being involved in the planning of November 2008 attack on Mumbai.
Subramaniam's visit comes within a fortnight of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US. Subramaniam is likely to explore avenues available with India to get access to Headley.
The Solicitor-General’s visit assumes significance as Headley’s lawyer and US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer have also claimed that US was working on providing India access to the terror suspect.
Headley’s lawyer John Theis said that discussions between the US and India on providing New Delhi access to Headley under his plea bargain are still on track. US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer also said that they will be providing India access to Hedley.
"The US is working at the highest level to provide direct access to Headley. Our government has put this as the highest priority in counter-terror cooperation," Roemer had said.
Headley had on March 18 entered into a plea agreement with the US and escaped the death penalty. Headley pleaded guilty to all terror charges before a US court including plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks at the behest of Lashkar-e-Toiba and conspiring to target a Danish newspaper.
The plea agreement with the US Justice Department also ensured that Headley would not be extradited to India, Pakistan and Denmark or any other country, provided he cooperates with the government's terrorism investigations. He has been in custody since October 2009 after being arrested by the FBI.
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