US terror suspect Headley not our agent: CIA

WASHINGTON: America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Thursday strongly refuted reports that Pakistani-origin US national David Coleman Headley, charged for criminal conspiracy in the 26/11 terror attacks, was its agent at any point of time.

"I can't comment on an ongoing investigation, but any suggestion that this individual worked for the CIA is flat wrong," CIA spokesperson Marie E Harf said when specifically asked about Headley and his links with CIA.

Headley, who is presently in a Chicago jail, was arrested by the FBI on October 3 when he was planning to go to Pakistan via Philadelphia. He has been charged by the federal prosecutors for being involved in the planning of the Mumbai terrorist attack.

News reports from India, quoting unnamed officials from investigating agencies, and several news reports in the US in the past few days have said that Headley may well have been a "double agent" working for the CIA as well as Pakistani terror groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which carried out the Mumbai attacks.

Besides refuting any links between Headley and CIA, the spokesperson refrained from making any comment on the Headley-Rana case arguing that it is an ongoing investigation.