No Plot-Spoilers In The Headley Chase

hen President Barack Obama begins reading out his speech against the 26/11 terrorist attacks at the Taj in Mumbai on November 6 and empathise with the victims, some may wonder whether the tragedy could have been averted. Had the US been a little more forthright and specific in sharing information with the Indians, Obama would not have needed to deliver this speech of commiseration.

Such scepticism may arise due to the controversy surrounding David Headley, the CIA mole who crossed over to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and photographed places that were eventually targeted. Days before Obama was to arrive in India, home secretary G.K. Pillai expressed disappointment that the US was not specific in its information about Headley. The US too admits that the information it passed on to India was general in nature, not specific. “If we had information that could have helped prevent the attacks and pinpoint specific aspects of the attack, we’d have certainly shared that too,” the US deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, Ben Rhodes, told reporters in Washington.

But the Indian security establishment isn’t quite convinced. Its officials believe that had they been tipped off in time about America’s suspicion that Headley had joined the LeT even post-26/11, they could have at least picked him up during his visit to India in March 2009. He was arrested later in the year for planning to target Copenhagen, making many argue that America was willing to reveal Headley’s true identity only to save Denmark. Why this hypocrisy, they ask.

Sources, however, say this problem over information-sharing partly springs from the peculiar nature of the American system. For instance, the commission appointed to probe 9/11 was denied access to Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, the chief architect of the attack, by its own security agency. And if America wanted to conceal information, say sources, it wouldn’t have given Indians unfettered access to interrogate Headley.

The Obama administration is trying its best to convey its sincere intent to work with India on counter-terror. It has already begun a review of when and what information was got from Headley and has promised to share it with New Delhi. The US counter-terror head is also due to visit India early next year with the brief that the two sides should coordinate information-sharing better. But, for the moment, the Manmohan government will be keen to bury the issue before Obama lands in Mumbai.