Deal with Headley worth it: US attorney
CHICAGO: Justifying a controversial plea bargain deal cut with the Mumbai attacks accused David Headley that spared him the death penalty and extradition to India, a top US attorney said that not making the pact would have been a 'terrible mistake'.
"We would have made a terrible mistake if we did not sit down with Headley and get all the information that we did," US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said after a Chicago court convicted Tahawwur Rana on two terrorism charges based in part on Headley's cooperation with prosecutors.
"Headley had an insider's view of what (Illyas) Kashmiri was up to, what they discussed and what he was planning. He also had the insider's view of what Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal were up to and what people were doing," Fitzgerald said, adding that Headley has so far named 34 targets that had been surveyed.
Asked how valuable was the information provided by Headley, Fitzgerald said that it was well worth it to take the death penalty off the table and agree not to allow him to be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark to face related charges.
"We would be crazy if we sat around and said, you know what, it was all about Headley and all we wanted to do was put him in jail and sit around and let attacks happen. One thing we fully appreciate from the law enforcement realm is that we are working with our partners in the FBI and intelligence organizations. We need information the governments in America, India, Pakistani and Denmark need," he said.
"We would have made a terrible mistake if we did not sit down with Headley and get all the information that we did," US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said after a Chicago court convicted Tahawwur Rana on two terrorism charges based in part on Headley's cooperation with prosecutors.
"Headley had an insider's view of what (Illyas) Kashmiri was up to, what they discussed and what he was planning. He also had the insider's view of what Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal were up to and what people were doing," Fitzgerald said, adding that Headley has so far named 34 targets that had been surveyed.
Asked how valuable was the information provided by Headley, Fitzgerald said that it was well worth it to take the death penalty off the table and agree not to allow him to be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark to face related charges.
"We would be crazy if we sat around and said, you know what, it was all about Headley and all we wanted to do was put him in jail and sit around and let attacks happen. One thing we fully appreciate from the law enforcement realm is that we are working with our partners in the FBI and intelligence organizations. We need information the governments in America, India, Pakistani and Denmark need," he said.
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