US not backtracking on Headley: Chidambaram

London, Mar 24: US ambassador Timothy J Roemer's statement that US had made no decision on direct access for India to 26/11 terrorist David Coleman Headley is not a U-turn on the part of America, Indian Home Minister P Chidamabaram clarified.

"...If you reflect more carefully that sentence (of Roemer) no way (it) contradicts what the US Attorney (Eric Holder) has told me," Mr Chidambaram told a TV news channel here.

Last week, US promised India access to Headley for questioning in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

After a telephonic conversation with Eric Holder, Chidambaram directed the National Investigative Agency (NIA) to start preparing for questioning the LeT operative in US.

The LeT operative, who pleaded guilty to all terror charges to strike a deal with US prosecutors, demanded that he should not be extradited to India, Pakistan and Denmark. India's campaign to get access to the Pakistan-orgin American terrorist hit a roadblock with the bargain.

Since then, there have been questions if US' move to strike a deal with the terrorist would affect India's investigations.

On Tuesday, Mar 23 night, Home Secretary G K Pillai also brushed aside Mr Roemer"s remarks and said, “I think we are going ahead and we are not really taking cognisance of the US ambassador"s remarks.

As per reports the NIA team is expected to land in US in Apr 2010.

OneIndia News