India said on Sunday that it is yet to get access to Lashkar-e Taiba operative David Headley but negotiations are underway on this issue and it is "satisfied" with the progress of discussions.
"Not yet," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told media-persons here when asked whether India had been granted access by the US to Headley, who had confessed in a US court to having played a key role in the Mumbai attacks. Asked whether India had any hopes of getting the access, she said the two countries have "extensive cooperation" between agencies on terrorism in general and the Headley case in particular.
"We have had good cooperation on this issue. The Ministry of Home Affairs and related agencies are in touch with their US counterparts. We are satisfied with the progress these negotiations have made," she said. India has been seeking access to Headley, a Pakistani-origin American, to find out all details of his activities regarding the 26/11 attacks and plans for further strikes in this country.
The US has shared with India a lot of information based on his interrogation but has so far refused access to him, citing its legal difficulties. Headley recently entered into a plea bargain with the US government under which he offered to present himself for access through video conferencing, deposition or Letters Rogatory (official request). Besides access to Headley, India is seeking his extradition.