U.S. top intelligence official meets Indian home minister over terrorism

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair discussed the issue of Terrorism with Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi on Thursday, just hours ahead of suspected U.S. terror suspect David Coleman Headley's possible "plea bargain" at a Chicago court.

"The two sides are understood to have discussed the issue of terrorism. Headley, who is accused of plotting attacks on India at the behest of Lashkar-e-Toiba and involvement in Mumbai terror strikes, also figured during the discussion," highly placed sources said.

Shortly after the meeting, U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer, who accompanied Blair, said that the Unites States is trying to ensure an hour to hour and minute to minute cooperation with India in fighting the common enemy.

"The visit was to maintain the day by day, hour by hour cooperation with the government of India and the United States on issues of terrorism and fighting a common enemy," the Ambassador told the media.

The visit just before Headley's "plea bargain" assumed significance as India has been insisting that the terror suspect be extradited to this country and seeking a number of times an access to him, which the U.S. has so far declined to give.

"Headley is likely to enter into a plea bargain to escape death. But, India wants access to him as he is believed to have played a key role in Mumbai terror attacks, which killed over 170 people. Now, the aim of the visit was to keep New Delhi in confidence that even if the plea bargain is agreed upon, the U.S. is with India in the fight against terror," the sources said.

According to other sources, India's request for his extradition stands irrespective of Headley's plea deal.

"The government will eventually file a chargesheet against him for his role in Mumbai massacre and other terror-related activities, but the details are still being reviewed," the sources said.

"I don't want to get hypothetical on what he intends or what he ultimately will do. We will wait on what he does in terms of his own statement in the trial. We have already stated the position on behalf of India as far as Headley is concerned, and I think the Home Ministry is dealing with it. So that is where we stand," External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said.

Source:Xinhua