A team of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will arrive here on Monday on a two-day visit to acquaint the Indian authorities with the outcome of the FBI’s probe into the visits to India by David Headley and Tahawwur Rana around the time of the Mumbai attacks in November last year, highly placed government sources said.
The duo is now in the custody of U.S. authorities. A team of Indian Intelligence officials recently returned empty handed from the U.S., as the investigation was not completed. Sources expect the FBI team to come armed with additional material promised during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the U.S.
With Headley reported to have stayed at Taj Hotel in Mumbai, intelligence agencies here suspect that he could have conducted reconnaissance for the attacks. His visit to several other cities could mean he was scouting for locations for the next round of attacks. The material to be provided by the FBI team could help the Indian authorities reach a more definitive conclusion, the sources said.
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As for talks with leaders of the United Liberation Front of Asom, several of whom have been arrested by the security forces, the sources indicated their preference for Arabinda Rajkhowa, who heads the political wing, to the military wing commander, Paresh Barua, who is absconding.
However, the government was in no hurry to open talks with the outfit and would prefer ascertaining who was calling the shots. “A decision will be taken. There have been several emissaries from time to time. Talks have been broken for a couple of years,” the sources said.