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The Indian government will be 'satisfied' if Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Coleman Headley, who pleaded guilty in a United States court to his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, is awarded a life sentence, Home Secretary G K Pillai said on Friday.
"The US attorney general has advised a sentence of life imprisonment. If he gets a sentence of life imprisonment, I don't think the government of India will be unsatisfied," he said. Pillai added that details of Headley's accessibility for questioning by Indian investigators have to be worked out in the coming weeks.
"We will have to work out details with the United States' government agencies and that is a matter of detail to be worked out in the coming weeks, after his sentencing is over," he said.
In the first official reaction after Headley, 49, pleaded guilty on Thursday night before a Chicago Court, Pillai said, "All that we know is that he has pleaded guilty to all 12 counts which were charged against him. In one sense, that is good because that will ensure that he gets major sentencing."
On the question of Headley's interrogation by Indian agencies, Pillai said, "What I understand, even from the TV channel showing discussions with his (Headley's) lawyer, that he will be available for questioning by Indian agencies. So we have to work out details. At this moment, it will be speculation."
Headley on Thursday night pleaded guilty to all terror charges before a US court. Under the plea bargain, he has escaped the death penalty. He also cannot be extradited from the US. Headley was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation's joint terrorism task force on October 3 and has been in custody since then.