NEW DELHI: With 26/11 conspiracy accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana , recently extradited from the US, being questioned by NIA about the larger Lashkar-e-Taiba conspiracy behind 26/11attacks as well as co-accused David Headley 's reconnaissance trips to India between 2006 and 2009, any new disclosures from Rana's interrogation may prompt NIA to consider questioning Headley afresh.
Headley is currently serving jail in the US, having been handed 35 years in prison following a plea bargain, under which he cannot be extradited to India, Denmark or Pakistan. Headley was interrogated by NIA in the US just once in 2010.
An officer privy to the case developments said an NIA team is probing Rana to gather undisclosed details of the 26/11 conspiracy - including the role of Pakistan-based LeT masterminds Hafiz Saeed, Zakir ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdur Rehman, Ilyas Kashmiri and ISI officers Major Samir Ali and Major Iqbal etc, besides a contact in Dubai - that don't figure in the US department of justice's case records. NIA will take a call "as and when needed" on whether it should seek fresh access to Headley to confront him with any additional information revealed by Rana, an officer told TOI. It will be interesting to see how the US will view such a request.
Sources said Rana, who had cited multiple health concerns in pleas before US courts to stall his extradition, is being subjected to medical examination every 48 hours in NIA custody. A source said Rana has been cooperating with the investigation, but brings up his ailments from time to time.
Meanwhile, former home secretary G K Pillai, who was in office when Headley was questioned in the US by NIA, told TOI that Headley was Rana's prime link to the 26/11 conspiracy and would regularly update the latter on the Pakistani handlers' terror plans and reconnaissance tips. Headley had first informed Rana in 2006 that he was tasked by LeT to conduct surveillance of 26/11 targets. Rana, a deserter from Pakistan Army, was included in the terror plot by Headley, in consultation with his LeT handlers. Rana arranged travel documents for Headley and allowed his immigration business to be used as a "cover" for Headley's reconnaissance trips to both India and Denmark.
Headley is currently serving jail in the US, having been handed 35 years in prison following a plea bargain, under which he cannot be extradited to India, Denmark or Pakistan. Headley was interrogated by NIA in the US just once in 2010.
An officer privy to the case developments said an NIA team is probing Rana to gather undisclosed details of the 26/11 conspiracy - including the role of Pakistan-based LeT masterminds Hafiz Saeed, Zakir ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdur Rehman, Ilyas Kashmiri and ISI officers Major Samir Ali and Major Iqbal etc, besides a contact in Dubai - that don't figure in the US department of justice's case records. NIA will take a call "as and when needed" on whether it should seek fresh access to Headley to confront him with any additional information revealed by Rana, an officer told TOI. It will be interesting to see how the US will view such a request.
Sources said Rana, who had cited multiple health concerns in pleas before US courts to stall his extradition, is being subjected to medical examination every 48 hours in NIA custody. A source said Rana has been cooperating with the investigation, but brings up his ailments from time to time.
Meanwhile, former home secretary G K Pillai, who was in office when Headley was questioned in the US by NIA, told TOI that Headley was Rana's prime link to the 26/11 conspiracy and would regularly update the latter on the Pakistani handlers' terror plans and reconnaissance tips. Headley had first informed Rana in 2006 that he was tasked by LeT to conduct surveillance of 26/11 targets. Rana, a deserter from Pakistan Army, was included in the terror plot by Headley, in consultation with his LeT handlers. Rana arranged travel documents for Headley and allowed his immigration business to be used as a "cover" for Headley's reconnaissance trips to both India and Denmark.
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