Is India using Obama visit for Headley's extradition?

Just a week back there were sparks flying between the India and the United States of America over the David Coleman Headley issue. The United States had suggested that it had shared specific information with India on Headley who finally did a recee in Mumbai which helped the Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists carry out a deadly attack three years back. However India denied all such information and said that the advisory from the US was general in nature and not once had they mentioned the name of Headley.

Home Secretary of India, G K Pillai went a step further and said that the US could have shared information after the attack at least since it would have helped them arrest him when came back to India once again.

The question now is whether this outburst against the US by India was a planned reaction ahead of the Barrack Obama visit later this week? Another question that is being asked is whether this was pre planned to seek the extradition of Headley when Obama is in the country?

While speaking to a cross section of the people who are involved with the David Headley case, we got information that India infact is making an attempt to extradite Headley. Although the Indian team has been clearly told by the US that an extradition would not be possible in the wake of the plea bargain arrangement of Headley, India believes that there would be no harm in trying yet again.

We know that the chances are bleak, but as we continue to investigate into the matter, we realize that the case would be a lot stronger if he were handed over to us, a source in the NIA told rediff.com. We did manage to question him and what we have realized is that we have derived the maximum possible information from him. It is not like we are saying that the Headley has no more information on him, but given the present situation and the plea bargain deal that is all we could get out of him. We believe that if we have access to him with no interference there is much more we could get out of him.

Sources in the intelligence bureau point out that the information relating to Headley which India has in its possession is all 26/11 centric. We believe that he has much more information and moreover he has also come down to India after the attack and has shot pictures and videos of many more targets. We need to know what he has done with that material and also need information on the persons with whom he has shared that material. We believe that his recee has been precise in nature and could be used for future attacks against India. When one looks at Headley from this perspective then it becomes necessary for us to interrogate him again and more importantly without any interference.

Looking at the Headley case legally, it is virtually impossible to extradite him since his plea bargain would come in the way. Even if the US administration does allow it, the legal system will block any such attempt.

The recent statements by India on the Headley issue were aimed directly at the Obama visit, sources say. When the President and his men are in India, this is a topic that would be raised behind closed doors and India would make every attempt to have another go at Headley. Even if the interrogation and extradition is not going to be possible for India, then the Indian agencies would at least request the US for additional information and also for video tapes of the interrogation so that we are able to build up a stronger case.

Indian interrogators say that there is some crucial information pertaining to local modules and cells which he still has not revealed. We are sure that he has not carried out such a huge operation all by himself. Moreover he has passed on crucial information from his last trip to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants and extracting this information would help India prevent another horrific attack on Indian soil.