India,US spar over info-sharing on Headley prior to 26/11

“…..The US shared intelligence on a regular and consistent basis with the government of India prior to the Mumbai attacks. We have also shared information with the government of India after the Mumbai attacks. Now,it’s historic and unprecedented in nature. It is saving lives on a daily basis,” Roemer said.

He was asked about Pillai’s remarks that agencies here were “disappointed” that specific information was not provided by the US,which could have helped the country by arresting Headley on his second visit before the attacks.

Reacting quickly to the US envoy’s remarks,Pillai said “I think the issue of David Headley,primarily of him – the specific name could have ben shared by the US authorities to the government of India before 26/11 or even after the 26/11.

“That is why I say we are a little disappointed that the name of David Headley was not shared with us either pre- 26/11 or after 26/11 when he subsequently came to India also”,he said.

Asked if he thought Headley was a source for the US for information on LeT and other terror groups,Pillai said “it could be. We don’t know whether David Headley was a source for the US. That is something the US government has never said that he was their source.

“As far as we are concerned,he was an LeT men and he was instrumental and had access to all top LeT functionary as they were planning the attack on India”,Pillai said.

Talking about his experience as a 9/11 Commission member,Roemer said even after being the American Commission,the probing body was not given access to one of the accused and masterminds of terror attacks on the US,Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

“When India asked America for access to Headley,we gave it. Because India is our strategic partner and our friend and somebody with whom we share intelligence on regular and consistent basis.

“So,India could sit down with Headley and ask him what happened prior to Mumbai. We are not afraid what he will say. In fact,we provided that opportunity to India to ask anything they want,” the US envoy said.

India has been maintaining that US lacked in providing specific information and only gave “general information” prior to 26/11.

“In the last few months,once Headley case surfaced,we have had interactions and exchanges with the American authorities into investigations. Before 26/11,we did not have anything more than very general,non-specific information on these warnings and threats,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said.

According to some media reports,Headley’s two wives had told FBI over a year prior to the Mumbai attacks that he was working with LeT and planning attacks in India.

The reports suggested that the US did not pass on these specific inputs to India,which could have helped avert 26/11 strikes.