Mumbai terror attack accused and alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley will be produced before a Chicago court today where he is likely to plead guilty to all the charges levelled against him. Headley, a Pakistani-American, is expected to move the plea bargain to escape with a lighter sentence and avoid facing charges related to November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Though his lawyer John Theis refused to comment, reports indicated that a deal had been reached between Headley and the US government as he is known to have conducted surveillance in Pakistan for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.<br/>There are suspicions that he was a CIA agent who turned a double agent after infiltrating terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba.<br/>Headley had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges related to 26/11 terror attacks and the plot to attack and kill a Danish cartoonist. In the 12 count indictment, Headley, faces six counts of conspiracy involving bombing public places in India, murdering and maiming persons in India and Denmark, providing material support to foreign terrorist plots, providing material support to Lashkar and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of US citizens in India.<br/>Another terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana has also been charged with planning terror attacks with him. <br/>Indian security experts have expressed the concern that plea bargaining by Headley may lead to a lighter sentence for him. Quoting official sources PTI said that a lenient sentence is a matter of concern for India and may give credence to the suspicion that he was an American agent.<br/>India has been trying to get access to 49-year-old Headley, who has been charged with conducting recee of installations attacked by Lashker terrorists in 26/11 in Mumbai.<br/><br/>
News On AIR | March 18, 2010 1:47 PM
Conspirator of Mumbai attack Headley likely to plead guilty in US Court