Headley names Pakistani Army officers involved in 26/11

Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley has told a US court that serving Pakistani Army officers were involved in the 26/11 terror mayhem in Mumbai, and one of them was "on the other side of the telephone line" with the terrorists during the 2008 attack, news reports said on Friday.According to Outlook newsmagazine editor-in-chief Vinod Mehta, the involvement of the Pakistani Army officers proves their "direct link" with the terror carnage in India's commercial and financial capital in 2008 that left 166 people dead, including foreigners. "David Headley has confessed to the involvement of serving Pakistani Army officers in 26/11," Mehta told CNN-IBN news channel. "Of them, three are serving and one is retired," he said, adding it showed the "direct link" of the Pakistani Army with the terror strike that shook the country. "Col. Shah (Pakistani Army officer) was on the other side of the telephone line (keeping in touch with the 26/11 terrorists)," Mehta told the television channel. According to Outlook, the Pakistani-American terror suspect Headley has reportedly identified Major Sayeed, Major Iqbal, Major Sameer and Colonel Shah as the officers involved in the 26/11 attacks. Meanwhile, India has decided to send a magistrate to the US to record Headley's statement. Besides the magistrate, other members of the team to quiz Headley will include lawyers and officials of Mumbai Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The 49-year-old Pakistani-American has admitted in a Chicago court to his involvement in plotting the Mumbai terror attack. The magistrate will be sent when the US grants permission for direct access to Headley to record his statement, which would be admissible in an Indian court of law. A request letter for access to Headley is to be sent by the home ministry next week to the US Department of Justice, official sources said on Friday. The letter is being finalised by Home Minister P Chidambaram and top officials. The NIA, probing the case, will file the charge sheet against Headley only after having direct access to him. Headley has confessed to his involvement in the 26/11 attack in a plea bargain with US authorities under which he will not be extradited to India or Denmark, where he is wanted for plotting terror acts, or be given the death sentence. Under the plea bargain, India can have access to the LeT operative by deposition, video conferencing or through Letters Rogatory. (Agency (NIA), March 26, 2010)