Pakistan can prosecute Headley in 26/11 case: Nikam

David Coleman Headley, who pleaded guilty before a United States court on Thursday night, cannot be impleaded in the 26/11 trial going on in Mumbai as it is nearing completion, but he can be put on trial in Pakistan, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said on Friday.

However, he said, Pakistani-American Headley's admission of guilt before a US court has strengthened the Mumbai terror attacks case, which is being heard in a special court. Nikam ruled out the possibility of prosecuting Headley in the 26/11 trial going on in Mumbai, because the recording of evidence is over.

However, in Pakistan, the trial against seven conspirators is already on and the Pakistan investigating agency has declared lone surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab as a proclaimed offender and one of the conspirators involved in the 26/11 case, Nikam pointed out. So, the Pakistan investigation agency can implead Headley as one of the wanted accused and declare him a proclaimed offender, the prosecutor said.

"It can also tender a pardon to him, if he gives evidence against rest of the accused and the other wanted accused through video-links," Nikam said.

Pakistan can do this if it wants to fight terrorism, Nikam felt. "If Headley discloses more names involved in the 26/11 attacks, they can also be tried in Pakistan on the basis of his statement," he added.

Headley's guilty plea has corroborated the confession of Kasab, in which the latter said that 26/11 attackers were shown a film of targets in Mumbai, at a training camp in Pakistan by LeT conspirators, Nikam said.

LeT had set up different modules to identity targets -- one of them was to film them and show the footage to attackers. This part was done by Headley, Nikam said. The other module was to draw maps, which was done by Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, who are currently facing trial in Mumbai. Yet another module was to take photographs of likely targets, he said.