Sebastian Rotella, the award-winning reporter relentlessly exposing the David Headley case, in an exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa.
While Intelligence Bureau is relying on David Headley's testimony, the CBI is seeking clarification from the NIA, which rejects the claim that Headley spoke to Ishrat Jahan. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Faiza Outalha, an estranged wife of American-born Lashkar e Tayiba terrorist David Headley, has replied to all questions of the National Investigation Agency relating to her knowledge of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The US-based wife of American-born LeT terrorist David Headley and his business partner have "refused" to answer questions posed by NIA, citing a privacy clause.
After arriving in Pakistan, Headley began training with terrorists, eventually playing a key role in the 26/11 attacks that left 166 people dead in Mumbai in 2008, The New York Times reported quoting court records and interviews.
The four member National Investigative Agency team has concluded questioning of Mumbai terror suspect David Coleman Headley and has headed back home, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar said on Thursday.
A "remorseful" Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley made a last ditch effort to have his sentence reduced by writing an emotional letter to the judge claiming he is a changed man and was sorry of his past doings.
Law enforcement sources rubbished allegations that Headley was a double agent for US intelligence and that this was why he was not being made available for interrogation by Indian intelligence.
Eminent public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who was instrumental in sending Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving militant of 2008 Mumbai attack to the gallows, has termed David Headley's sentence as meagre in comparison to the brutality and heinousness of the crime.
A Mumbai court on Thursday pardoned Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Headley, who had surveyed targets for the 26/11 attacks, and made him an approver in the case, a move that may unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror assault.
'India simply wasn't prepared for the fact that a natural-born American could be organising a major terror plot in their country. And they didn't look for people like him.' 'Headley is one of the most complex and interesting terrorists of the last many years.'
Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley on Thursday exposed how Inter-Services Intelligence and Lashkar-e-Tayiba majorly funded terror operations in India.
US federal prosecutors have released interrogation tapes of admitted Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley, who helped plot the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, after a Chicago judge's order.
Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, a Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative charged with conspiring in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, will plead guilty before a United States court on Thursday, five months after he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
David Headley, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative who was arrested by the FBI in October, is proving to be an important link in unraveling the terror network. Intelligence Bureau agents have informed the Mumbai police that Headley made several visits to the city. The Mumbai police is now probing Headley's links with the 26/11 terror attacks.
Here is how Headley became an 'international' terrorist from being a nondescript
Yashasvi Jaiswal joined the legendary Sunil Gavaskar as the only two Indian batters to score more than 700 runs in a bilateral Test series.
David Coleman Headley, the star witness in the Chicago trial of the Mumbai terror suspect Tahawwur Hussein Rana has credibility problem because of his dubious past in which he apparently worked as a double agent, according to experts.
In a significant claim, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley on Thursday said that Ishrat Jahan -- who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2004 in Gujarat --was actually a suicide bomber of Lashkar-e-Tayiba terror outfit.
Mumbai attack terrorist David Headley, who is currently in American custody, has been opposing his further interrogation by Indian investigators.
However, the Pakistani-American LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi stopped him, saying something more "adventurous" was in store for him.
'We will continue to probe the Fahim Ansari angle since there is one stark similarity between him and Headley. Both men were in touch with the man called Sajid Mir.'
Headley is currently serving 35 years in an American prison after being convicted of being involved in the planning and execution of the Mumbai terrorist attack.
Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley, who pleaded guilty to plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and conducting reconnaissance for likely targets, will have to undergo a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. According to United States attorney office's spokesperson Randall Samborn, life imprisonment without probation is the maximum sentence that Headley can get."Probation means no jail term, but I said he's not eligible for probation so that's irrelevant," said Samborn.
Indian fell vindicated when Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Coleman Headley testified that the ISI had trained him in terror. But on Tuesday, Headley did a U-turn as he gave a clean chit to Pakistan's spy agency. Hoping to nail the ISI in the 26/11 case, Indian intelligence agencies say that Headley's changing versions come as no surprise to them. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
Extradition of Lashkar-e-Tayiba terror operative David Headley is an option that India will continue to pursue, Home Minister P Chidambaram said during a press briefing on Monday. Speaking on the contentious issue of the United States not sharing intelligence about Headley with India on time, Chidambaram said, "What the US knew and when they knew about David Headley vis-a-vis 26/11 is a matter under full review in the US. They will share it with us once the review is over."
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thakckeray was on Tuesday night dismissive of Mumbai terror attack accused David Headley's testimony in a Chicago court that a plot was involving his handlers in Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba was hatched to kill him.
A United States lawyer representing Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the Mumbai terror attacks, has said that the Pakistani-Canadian has been "betrayed" by his friend David Headley.
'There is nothing in Headley's testimony. Where is he saying anything? He says, 'I don't know, I don't know.' He says 'I overheard somebody's speech.' Is this evidence? This is double hearsay.' 'If this (the Ishrat Jahan encounter) investigation is really carried out further it points to the heart of BJP's political leadership. And therefore they want you to distract you and say terrorist, terrorist.'
Though Indian and American authorities have refused to give details regarding the interrogation of arrested Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Headley, sources in investigating agencies have revealed that the probe team was taken aback by the fluency with which the Pakistani American spoke Hindi.Headley's fluency in Hindi indicates his preparedness for the terror strike in Mumbai, say sources.
'In the long run, because of international pressure, Headley's testimony will become credible in Pakistan also. And if Pakistan decides to examine him as a witness in their trial then I think there is a chance of conviction against Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.'
David Headley, who played a big role in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks, will plead guilty before a Chicago court in the United States on Thursday.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday said the Indian government was pursuing its case for having an access to American terror suspect David Headley, who is being tried in the United States.
A team of the National Investigation Agency is probing whether Pakistani born American citizen and Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Coleman Headley visited Ajmer after the terror attack on Mumbai last year. Headley was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in early October from Chicago on charges of plotting terror attacks in India and Denmark. The NIA team has already searched a number of hotels in Pushkar, 15 kms from Ajmer, and taken possession of the records
Headley, 55, was pardoned on December 10 and made an approver by additional sessions judge G A Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act.
India on Wednesday said it would press for access to Lashkar-e Taiba operative David Headley and his extradition and that his plea bargain with the US authorities is being examined in this context.
Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, who has confessed to plotting Mumbai attacks, will cooperate with Indian authorities as required by the terms of his plea agreement if the US government allows access to New Delhi, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
There is still some possibility of extraditing Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley to India, if the Mumbai terror attacks convict violates his plea agreement, a US federal attorney has indicated.
Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, sought for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has approached a US court for a status conference after waiting for an order on his extradition to India for more than 20 months.
Investigators say David Headley may have surveyed 26/11 targets and guided the terrorists's minders in Pakistan during the actual attacks.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances