Access to Headley is not mere give and take: Roemer

PUNE - “Certain tactical points” need to be clarified before India is given direct access to David Headley, the terror suspect who has confessed to his role in the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai, American ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said here Wednesday.

“Access to Headley is not a mere give and take. Both the governments (India and the US) have to clarify on certain tactical points, after which a direct access can be given,” Roemer said.

Roemer, who visited the German Bakery here to pay tribute to the victims of the Feb 13 bombing in which 17 people were killed, answered a question on the time period within which India could get access to Headley.

The Pakistani American terror suspect, who confessed in court to his role in the November 2008 terror attack in Mumbai, is in a Chicago prison.

The Indian government has said it would form a team of investigators to quiz Headley, a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)operative, after it gets direct access.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said after a trip to the US last month: “All bottlenecks (for access to Headley) have been removed and we have a way forward now. So it’s up to us to operationalise the plan forward.”