An American was sentenced on Thursday to 35 years in prison for the key role he played in a 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai that has been called India’s 9/11.
David Coleman Headley‘s meticulous scouting missions facilitated the assault by 10 gunmen from a Pakistani-based militant group, which killed 160 people, including children.
”I don’t have any faith in Mr. Headley when he says he’s a changed person and believes in the American way of life,” said US District Judge Harry Leinenweber in imposing the sentence, which was in the range of what prosecutors had requested for Headley’s widespread cooperation.
The attackers arrived by boat on Nov. 26, 2008, carrying grenades and automatic weapons, and fanned out to hit multiple targets, including a crowded train station, a Jewish center and the landmark Taj Mahal Hotel. TV cameras captured much of the three-day rampage live.
The attack heightened the strain in a historically antagonistic relationship between India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars.
Indian officials accuse Pakistani intelligence of helping to plan the assault, an allegation Pakistan denies.
The maximum sentence Headley, 52, faced Thursday was life in prison. He agreed to cooperate with US authorities and plead guilty in 2010 to 12 counts to avoid what would have been his maximum sentence: death. He also secured a promise not to be extradited to India.
Last year, India secretly hanged the lone surviving gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab.
Citing what they described as valuable intelligence Headley provided authorities about terrorist networks since his arrest, prosecutors had asked for a relatively lenient sentence of between 30 and 35 years.
The charges included conspiracy to aid the Pakistani-based group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), that mounted the attacks, as well as conspiracy to commit murder in India and aiding and abetting in the murder of six Americans.
An agent of US Government gone wrong, hence protected by US now.
An agent of US Government gone right. He ran a successful operation to put Pakistanis in a bad light internationally (and the LeT his useful idiots) and increase tentions between the two countries. He just wasn't supposed to get caught. And being caught by India, he was left with no 'Raymond Davis'-esqe escape and he will be spending some time in jail.
But I will still predict he will let out early…
@nota: "He just wasn't supposed to get caught".
What is the source of your "insight"? Mere speculation?
LeT "useful idiots" planned, conspired, trained personals and executed this operation with full knowledge of what they are doing. Those who carried out terror attacks are responsible (Phone conversations, between attackers and their handlers, captured by intelligence speaks volume). LeT goons are those who "put Pakistanis in a bad light internationally".
Keep blaming the U S for all our break downs and failures,as for nota,the name is new but I reconise the dood wala english and let me guess the research behind all the comments right ?
David is NOT "protected by US now". He has been sentenced to 35 years in prison in exchange to providing information of his conspiracy. Read the judge's remarks.
It shows Pakistan blood basically is contaminated with terrorism. No matter which school or university they go, they will remain terrorists. Situation does not make one terrorist, they are born as terrorists.
what an ignorant fool you are harjeet…
This shows that the American justice system works while the Pakistani system does not…there are confessed terrorist walking around in Pakistan ( hated Saeed ) and the judges cannot find enough evidence to arrest him…your court system all the way up the the SC is corrupted by extremist Islamic politics…
He will be out on parole in 7 years.
People like Harjeet will make every one terrorist.
@Ajaz Haque · 1 day ago
'An agent of US Government gone wrong, hence protected by US now."
For the sake of humanity, do not reproduce! Specially with your mamu or chachoo's daughter. Thank you!
Comments are closed.