FBI chief discusses Headley with PC

NEW DELHI: India and the US shared notes on the David Headley investigations during FBI chief Robert Mueller’s visit to India. Mr Mueller met home minister P Chidambaram and national security advisor Shivshankar Menon during his visit. In the aftermath of the Pune bomb blast, India had expressed its intention of seeking access to Headley. The terror accused is known to have surveyed a number of sites in Pune during his visit. India wants the US to probe Headley’s terror links and the India connection.

The FBI chief also discussed the threat assessment in the region. Mr Mueller’s visit comes two days before the Indo-Pak meeting where terror emanating from Pakistan will be the main focus for India. New Delhi has also said that the threat to the region comes from within Pakistan and that the Pak-Afghan border has emerged as a safe haven for terror groups.

US ambassador Timothy J Roemer said that the FBI chief’s meeting was a clear pointer to the deepening counter terrorism cooperation between India and the US. ``Today’s meetings are further evidence of the robust and active counter-terror cooperation between the US and India. Our cooperation extends from the highest reaches of both governments and connects across to provide information and training to local law enforcement in both countries,’’ the US ambassador said in a press release.

Highlighting the cooperation between India and the US, the ambassador said that the US state department had sponsored exchanges in which US rail authorities traveled to New Delhi and Mumbai to observe task of securing India’s vast railway system. Following that visit, a team of Indian government and law enforcement officials traveled to New York City and Washington DC ``These exchanges demonstrated our shared commitment to learning from each other to ensure the safety of our citizens,’’ the US ambassador said.