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FBI to reveal all details of Headley-Rana probe to India

November 29, 2009 15:57 IST

India is expected to get information about the plans and network of Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana next week when a high-level team of the Federal Bureau of Investigation visits New Delhi with "all details" of their probe.

National Security Adviser M K Narayanan said US President Barack Obama has told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he was seized of the case related to Headley and Rana, who were arrested by the FBI on the charges of plotting attacks in India at the behest of LeT.

Obama told Singh during their meeting on Tuesday that he would be sending a high-level FBI team to India within a week with "all details", Narayanan told journalists accompanying the prime minister on return home from two-nation tour of US and Trinidad and Tobago.

The team is expected to give exhaustive details about the plans of Headley and Rana and their network in India.

"Let us see what information they share," Narayanan said.

Headley, a Pakistani-born American, and Rana, Canadian of Pakistani-origin, were arrested by the FBI in October on the charges of plotting attacks in India and Denmark.

Indian officials suspect that Headley and Rana could have been involved in the 26/11 attacks, but there is no evidence in this regard so far.

The US has told India that it has zeroed-in on a Pakistani national who could have been a link between Headley and Rana and their Pakistan-based handlers.

Indian investigators wanted to interrogate Headley and Rana and a team from New Delhi had gone to the US earlier this month. But the US did not give access citing legal compulsions.

However, sources downplayed this saying India understands the compulsions and will "work around that".

US National Security Adviser James Jones had said that US was unable to allow Indian investigators access to the arrested LeT operatives because certain aspects of the legal system here protect the rights of the accused.

The sources also said Obama has promised to provide all details about Headley-Rana investigations to India.

During his meeting with Obama, Singh had expressed concern over "new hubs" of terrorism coming up in India's neighbourhood, the sources said.

Singh also registered disappointment over the selective approach of Pakistan in fighting terrorism.

They said Obama's unhappiness over this approach was reflected in the Indo-US joint statement, which twice referred to "safe havens" for terrorism in Pakistan and underlined the need for smashing these.
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