India will be satisfied if Headley gets lifer: Home Secretary

New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said here on Friday that India would be "satisfied" if alleged Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley is awarded a life sentence by the US court.

On Thursday (US time), Headley pleaded guilty in a Chicago court admitting he had scouted targets ahead of a brazen terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26 November 2008.

As a result, as per law, Headley will not face any trial or won't be given the death penalty.

"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," Pillai said.

"The good thing is that he will get life imprisonment," he added.

Pillai further said the details of Headley's accessibility for questioning by India, interrogation or on giving testimony have to be worked out in the coming weeks.

"There will be no extradition. As far as interrogation is concerned, we will have to work out the details and accordingly see. It looks like the Indian security agencies will be able to question him, we have to work out the details," he said.

Under the plea bargain, Headley has escaped the death penalty. He also cannot be extradited from the US to India, Pakistan or Denmark.

Headley can now be directly questioned by Indian investigators after his confession in a court in US to his involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, although he will not be extradited to India.

The US, so far denied India the right to question Headley, arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in October 2009.

It was reported that Headley has agreed to "fully and truthfully" participate in the process of investigation, which has to be undertaken only on US soil.

Headley, accused of plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks at the behest of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and conspiring to target a Danish newspaper, pleaded guilty to all terror charges before a US court. (ANI)