26/11 attacks case: Headley deposes before Mumbai court via video link

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley was to depose before a Mumbai special court via video conferencing from the US at 7am on Monday in the 26/11 terror attack case trial

Headley was for the first time produced before the Mumbai court on December 10, 2015, when he said he was ready to depose and turn approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial, if he was granted pardon.(HT File Photo)

“It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist will give his evidence through a video link and his evidence will be recorded. I feel his evidence is the most useful because it may help unfold many aspects of the terror attack,” senior public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told ANI.

Headley was to depose before the sessions judge GA Sanap.

According to the prosecution’s case, Headley played an important and active role in the criminal conspiracy. It will examine Headley, 55, as a prosecution witness and confront him with all the documents and evidence collected during the investigation by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) team as well as the Mumbai police.

Headley was for the first time produced before the Mumbai court on December 10, 2015, when he said he was ready to depose and turn approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial, if he was granted pardon.

After granting him pardon, the court then accepted Headley as a prosecution witness. While giving the order, the court had observed, “The entire conspiracy could be unearthed and proved if one of the conspirators comes to court with the request of pardon.”

“The conspiracy of the 26/11 Mumbai attack was hatched outside India. Abu Jundal alias Zabiuddin Ansari is facing charges in the Mumbai attack as a co-conspirator. There is no direct evidence so far for the offence of criminal conspiracy. In this case, fortunately, for the prosecution, David Coleman Headley, has willingly decided to unfold the conspiracy, which was hatched outside India,” observed the judge.

In 2010, Headley pleaded guilty in 26/11, admitting he had carried out a reconnaissance of the targets for the LeT before a US court. He had allegedly provided videos of various locations to the LeT, where terrorist attacks were carried out. He had also provided useful information about the safe landing places, which the attackers had used on the night of November 26, 2008.