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India on Wednesday said it was disappointed that the US did not provide specific information about Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley even though he travelled here freely after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
"We could say that we were disappointed that the name of David Headley was not provided, if not pre-26/11 at least post 26/11," Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters here.
The Home Secretary was replying to a question on reports that one of Headley's wives had said that she had given inputs to the US authorities but that was not really acted upon.
Asked whether America has not been forthcoming in providing information about Headley, Pillai said "I think partly true, but not fully. I think they have shared but I would appreciate if it had been much more than what they have been doing".
According to US media reports, 50-year-old Pakistani- American Headley's American wife had given the FBI in New York a tip-off about his LeT links in 2005 while his young Moroccan wife had told authorities in the US embassy in Islamabad, less than a year before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, that he was plotting a terror strike.
"When he (Headley) came subsequently in March 2009 to India at least at that time we could have nabbed him here," he said.
Headley, who had plotted the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that claimed 166 lives, is currently in US custody.
The Home Secretary said the government fears that the militants may try to target innocent civilians before the next month's visit of US President Barack Obama to India, the way they did in 2000 when President Bill Clinton had visited the country.
"That's the type of fear that we have that innocent civilians will be killed and then the blame would be put on like the last time on the Indian Army. All indications are that the propaganda machinery would be out to do the same. Therefore we are being careful," he said.
LeT hardcore terrorists had carried out a massacre of 36 Sikhs in Chattisinghpora in south Kashmir on the intervening night of March 19-20, 2000 when Clinton was on his first state visit to India.
Pillai, however, made it clear that so far there were no intelligence inputs suggesting any such attack.
"But definitely we do believe that the visit of United States President to India is, shall I say from the publicity point of view, is large enough to try and create something even if it is not in any place nearby where President Obama would be. But it could be some where else and therefore we would take all precautions," he said.
The Home Secretary said the US has been putting pressure on Pakistan to rein in some terrorist groups but New Delhi has "not seen any real action on groups that are coming and creating problem for us in Kashmir".
The Home Secretary said the Americans have been putting pressure on Pakistan as everybody now realises that no group was focusing only on India or any one particular country.
"Even the LeT is now becoming global in its operations. Therefore it is absolutely essential for all countries to cooperate in the fight against terrorism because any group may turn around any day and attack you even if you believe its focus is somewhere else," he said.
Asked whether attempt has been made to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pillai said it was not a question of internationalising because the Americans have made their position very clear.
"But definitely they would like to try and at least the militants would like to see if they can have any spectacular incident which they could then get world-wide attention on. We are taking whatever precautions we can so that no civilian lives are lost," he said.
The Home Secretary said India has upgraded its security to quite a significant extent but still it was nowhere near a foolproof security situation, primarily because of the very porous borders that the country shares with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.
"Therefore for us the threat is very real and the steps that we have to take are far higher than what the United States has to," he said.
Pillai said the US was in an advantageous position as it was surrounded by either the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean.
"Therefore it is slightly more easier for them to protect their boundaries and inspite of that you saw the Times Square bombing incident, people still managed to sneak in," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ey-info/articleshow/6823282.cms#ixzz13a1n6gWn
"We could say that we were disappointed that the name of David Headley was not provided, if not pre-26/11 at least post 26/11," Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters here.
The Home Secretary was replying to a question on reports that one of Headley's wives had said that she had given inputs to the US authorities but that was not really acted upon.
Asked whether America has not been forthcoming in providing information about Headley, Pillai said "I think partly true, but not fully. I think they have shared but I would appreciate if it had been much more than what they have been doing".
According to US media reports, 50-year-old Pakistani- American Headley's American wife had given the FBI in New York a tip-off about his LeT links in 2005 while his young Moroccan wife had told authorities in the US embassy in Islamabad, less than a year before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, that he was plotting a terror strike.
"When he (Headley) came subsequently in March 2009 to India at least at that time we could have nabbed him here," he said.
Headley, who had plotted the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that claimed 166 lives, is currently in US custody.
The Home Secretary said the government fears that the militants may try to target innocent civilians before the next month's visit of US President Barack Obama to India, the way they did in 2000 when President Bill Clinton had visited the country.
"That's the type of fear that we have that innocent civilians will be killed and then the blame would be put on like the last time on the Indian Army. All indications are that the propaganda machinery would be out to do the same. Therefore we are being careful," he said.
LeT hardcore terrorists had carried out a massacre of 36 Sikhs in Chattisinghpora in south Kashmir on the intervening night of March 19-20, 2000 when Clinton was on his first state visit to India.
Pillai, however, made it clear that so far there were no intelligence inputs suggesting any such attack.
"But definitely we do believe that the visit of United States President to India is, shall I say from the publicity point of view, is large enough to try and create something even if it is not in any place nearby where President Obama would be. But it could be some where else and therefore we would take all precautions," he said.
The Home Secretary said the US has been putting pressure on Pakistan to rein in some terrorist groups but New Delhi has "not seen any real action on groups that are coming and creating problem for us in Kashmir".
The Home Secretary said the Americans have been putting pressure on Pakistan as everybody now realises that no group was focusing only on India or any one particular country.
"Even the LeT is now becoming global in its operations. Therefore it is absolutely essential for all countries to cooperate in the fight against terrorism because any group may turn around any day and attack you even if you believe its focus is somewhere else," he said.
Asked whether attempt has been made to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pillai said it was not a question of internationalising because the Americans have made their position very clear.
"But definitely they would like to try and at least the militants would like to see if they can have any spectacular incident which they could then get world-wide attention on. We are taking whatever precautions we can so that no civilian lives are lost," he said.
The Home Secretary said India has upgraded its security to quite a significant extent but still it was nowhere near a foolproof security situation, primarily because of the very porous borders that the country shares with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.
"Therefore for us the threat is very real and the steps that we have to take are far higher than what the United States has to," he said.
Pillai said the US was in an advantageous position as it was surrounded by either the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean.
"Therefore it is slightly more easier for them to protect their boundaries and inspite of that you saw the Times Square bombing incident, people still managed to sneak in," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ey-info/articleshow/6823282.cms#ixzz13a1n6gWn
