Mumbai 26/11: NIA to record statement of Headley's estranged wife

Mumbai, Jan 19: The National Investigating Agency is working on the legalities in an attempt question the estranged wife of David Headley, the man who conducted the reconnaissance for the Mumbai 26/11 attack. Headley's wife, Faiza Outalha was present in Mumbai when the reconnaissance was being undertaken.

Faiza currently is in Morocco and a team of the NIA wants to visit that country to record her statement. The NIA had approached the union government in this regard. The government had written to the Moroccan authorities seeking permission to record Faiza's statements.

While the Moroccan authorities have agreed to India's request, it has also laid down certain conditions. One of the conditions is that the statements recorded by the NIA cannot be used against her. The NIA seeks to know from her if she was privy to what David Headley was up to when he visited India. Headley had two handlers in Pakistan, Major Sameer Ali and Major Iqbal and the NIA seeks more information on them.

There has been a great deal of confusion on the identity of the two Majors. The NIA seeks to know if she was aware of who Headley was in touch with. It is however unclear whether Faiza has agreed to record her statement with the NIA. Officers of the NIA say that they are working out some modalities and once it is clear they will send a team to Morocco.