Pillai again on 26/11: Raises Headley,gets a US response

In a swift reaction,US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer asserted that this was not the case. 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,its historic and unprecedented in nature. It is saving lives on a daily basis, Roemer claimed.

The Home Secretary said: You could say we were disappointed that the name of Headley was not shared,if not pre-26/11 at least post-26/11,so that at least when he came subsequently to India,we could have nabbed him here.

Pillai was responding to questions about the failure on the part of the US Government to keep India in the loop about the revelations made by two wives of the alleged Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Toiba operative that he was planning an attack on India with the help of the militant outfit.

Roemer asserted that America had cooperated fully. When India asked the US for access to Headley,we gave it. Because India is our strategic partner and our friend and somebody with whom we share intelligence on a regular and consistent basis. In fact,we provided that opportunity to India to ask anything they want, the US envoy said.

He also noted that though the American Commission probing the 9/11 terror attacks,of which he was a member,was not provided access to one of the accused and masterminds of terror attacks on the US,Khalid Sheikh Mohammed despite him being in American custody the US had given full access to India in the case of Headley.

While Pillai too admitted that intelligence sharing between India and the US had increased considerably,he went on to add that he had not seen any impact of the US pressure on Pakistan reflected in the activities of militants in Kashmir.

Whatever they have8230; they have been putting some pressure8230; we really havent seen any real action in so far as groups that are coming and creating trouble for us in Kashmir, he said.

Talking about the Obama visit,Pillai said the government had no intelligence input on the possibility of a 26/11-type attack at the time.

But we do believe that the visit of the US President to India is shall I say from the publicity point of view large enough for people terrorists to try and create something,even if its not in some place nearby where Obama would be there but could be somewhere else. Therefore,we have to take all adequate precautions, he said.

He admitted that there was a fear that militants may try something like the Chittisinghpora massacre of Sikhs in Kashmir,which had happened on the eve of then president Bill Clintons visit in 2000.

Thats the type of fear we have8230; that innocent civilians will be killed and the blame would then be put. Like last time the entire blame was put on the Indian Army.