Top US intelligence official visits Delhi

A top United States Intelligence official on Monday held a series of meetings with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and senior officials, during which the progress in investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks was reviewed.

Director of National Intelligence John Michel McConnell, who flew into the Capital, is also believed to have met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and discussed issues related to evidence gathered so far in the probe in the 26/11 terror strikes, official sources said.

The sources said McConnell had a 30-minute long meeting with Chidambaram during which the two sides touched upon the progress in the probe into the terror strikes at the country's financial capital. US Ambassador David C Mulford was also present at the meeting.

The Director of National Intelligence is considered to be the most powerful intelligence official of the United States government, who is under direct command and control of the US President and reports to him only.

The role of the DNI is to effectively integrate foreign, military and domestic intelligence, in defence of the homeland and of the US's interests abroad, from its 16 spy agencies.

McConnell later met investigating officials including those from the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation who are probing the Mumbai attacks, the sources said.

The US Intelligence head also met India's intelligence chiefs and discussed the evidence gathered during the probe.

DNI came into existence after the audacious 9/11 attacks in the US. India is hoping to benefit from DNI's experiences in countering terrorism while it was formulating the policies for a proposed National Investigating Agency, a bill for which was cleared by the Parliament.