The former National Security Adviser, M.K. Narayanan, on Sunday rejected a claim made in a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable that India's demand for extradition of 26/11 attacks suspect David Coleman Headley was mere posturing and that it was not serious about bringing the Lashkar-e-Taiba operative to India for trial.
Asked by journalists for his comments on reports quoting the U.S. cables accessed through WikiLeaks, Mr. Narayanan initially said he had no comment to offer as any communication by a U.S. official to his own government was a matter between them.
‘Interested in information’
However, answering other questions, he said India was indeed serious about Headley's extradition.
On the charge that the whole demand was only political posturing, Mr. Narayanan, who was on a private visit to the city, said, “This whole question, you should address to the Americans…Quite clearly, as far as we are concerned, we are interested in David Headley's information and his extradition.”
‘I can't believe’
“I can't believe, nor can anyone believe, that's a possibility,” the West Bengal Governor said, when asked about the charge contained in the cable that India was not serious about its own demand. Questions should be posed to the U.S. officials and not to him.
The cable sent on December 17, 2009, contained details of a conversation between Mr. Narayanan and the then U.S. Ambassador, Timothy Roemer.
Bringing Headley
Asked whether India really intended to bring Headley to the country, the former National Security Adviser said: “Of course, where does the question arise? What the Americans want to write is up to them.”
