This Article is From Apr 30, 2010

Yes, Headley was undercover agent, says his family

Washington:
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In an exclusive interview to NDTV, David Headley's family says that the man who has confessed to planning the 26/11 attacks in India worked earlier as an undercover agent for the United States.

Headley's maternal uncle, William Headley, says, "I would say that he has never done anything against America. He has worked for us in the past." When asked if he meant that his nephew had served as an undercover agent, William confirmed, "Yes...he was arrested for drugs and he was given a very light sentence and he ended up working for us." William tells NDTV that David discussed his undercover assignments: "Yes, I mean he did not just go around talking about it, but yes, it would be mentioned." (Read: Full transcript of David Headley's uncle's interview)

David has been in jail in the US since September 2009, when he was arrested by the FBI. India is working overtime to try and get direct access to Headley. US officials, including Attorney General Eric Holder, have promised to help out, but there is no firm commitment yet on whether Indian intelligence officials will be able to grill Headley in person.

Unconfirmed reports in different newspapers have suggested that Headley was a US agent who went rogue after being assigned to infiltrate the narcotics network in Pakistan. The allegation has also been raised in Parliament in India.

David's mother was an American from Chicago who married a Pakistani. David grew up in Pakistan till he was taken back to America by his mother after his parents divorced. Explaining the impact that possibly had on David, his uncle explains, "It could not have been more different between the two worlds. In one world, where he wants to be Pakistani, he was considered to be an American. With Americans, he was being seen as a Muslim. So he had to get used to a duality of life. My sister was not only different, but she was a stand-out in our culture. She was quite a libertine. She did whatever she wanted to do. He came over at 16 to reunite with his mother, and here, she had just met this man, and ended up ignoring him and paying attention to who would be her future husband...and it was terrible for him. He ended up living on top of a bar. And there are not many devout Muslims who have to live in a bar. I think it was confusing for him. The cultures are so different."

William says David's upbringing resulted in a sort of split personality."He was almost like two different people. They say East is East and West is West and never the twain will meet... but they met in Dawood. I have seen all of this. I would have him split down the middle... and he would be David Armani and Dawood Gilani. David Headley had short slicked-back hair, very clean-shaven, he'd be wearing an Armani suit...looking really sharp. And he would have a bottle of Dom Perignon under his arm. The other side would be Dawood Gilani... and would be in native dress, and would have the long fundamentalist beard and would have the Quran under his arm. He was manager of a pub, which is not exactly halal. And he's been used that way...because in either one, he would be completely believable. "

William says he is in regular touch with David, who is in a maximum-security prison. When asked if David had discussed his trial, William said David had promised, "Expect many surprises."
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