David Coleman Headley

The confessions of David Coleman Headley brings to the fore a few central points in fighting terrorism unleashed by the Terror groups like Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Leshkar-e-Toiba. First, the Us will be compelled to recognise the diabolic role of LeT in Terror South Asia. The US has till now refrained from accepting the role of LeT in fomenting trouble in Kashmir and Pakistan itself. The plea made by Headley underscores the role of LeT as a terrorist outfit. This calls for the action against LeT. Secondly, the US has so far chosen to ignore India’s repeated assertions about the existence of Training Camps in Pakistan. Now, Headley’s confessions point to the veracity of truth India’s averment about the role of Pakistan government in sponsoring and institutionalising terror against the democratic and secular India. If the US truly supports the democratic cause across the globe as is being made out to be, it should sympathise with India for being at the receiving end of terror and tell Pak to close down all the training camps forthwith. The US must use the e liberal state aid it been doling out to Pak in billions. Thirdly, the Headley Trial has yet again highlighted the utility of Plea Bargaining in expediting the trials. In India, Plea-bargaining was introduced by Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005, which amended the Code of Criminal Procedure. Enforceable from January 11, 2006. This was expected t o bring relief to a large number of Undertrials lodged in various jails of the country and help reduce the long pendency in the courts. Under plea-bargaining, the accused may move to admit the charges and on satisfactory disposition of the case being worked out, the Court shall dispose off the case by sentencing the accused to one-fourth of the punishment.In trying the Terrorists cases Plea Bargaining can be very useful for prosecuting the terrorists expeditiously. Moreover, plea bargaining provides a reliable witness who was party to in executing terror. The Investigating Agencies in India must, in the meanwhile, try to engage the US Investigators to elicit information from the hard nut Headley.