Pakistani-born American David Coleman Headley, who pleaded guilty before a US court for a lighter sentence, has strengthened the 26/11 case, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said on Friday.
Calling it a “major victory for Indian investigators”, Nikam said that Headley’s confession proves that the plot for the November 26, 2008, attack was hatched in Pakistan and that Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was “speaking the truth”.
“It is a classic case of sponsored terrorism,” said Nikam.
Nikam, however, clarified that Headley’s confession will have no direct impact on the 26/11 trial against Kasab, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Shaikh, as it was already nearing completion.
When asked if they want to name Headley as a wanted accused, Nikam said, “I cannot comment about it. It’s the job of the investigating agency.”
In his judicial confession, Kasab had said that 26/11 attackers were shown a film of targets, Nikam Said. “This obviously means that there are different modules operating in Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to collect information,” said Nikam.
The prosecution believes that the videos were made by Headley; the other module was to draw maps which was allegedly carried out by Ansari and Shaikh. Yet another module was to take photographs of the spots, Nikam said.
“While the admission of guilt will not directly help the ongoing trial here, it will certainly help Pakistan investigating agency,” Nikam said.
In Pakistan, the trial against seven conspirators is already on and the Pakistan investigating agency has declared Kasab as a proclaimed offender, Nikam said. “So, the Pakistan investigation agency can implead Headley as one of the wanted accused and declare him as a proclaimed offender,” he said.
“It can also tender pardon to him, if he gives evidence against rest of the accused and other wanted accused.”
