Delhi sought access to Headley's wife

Chidambaram requested FBI Director Robert Mueller during his meeting here that “we must be able to say we had access, even if Headley did not speak,” according to a Wikileaks disclosure. The highly confidential 20-minute conversation between Chidambaram and Mueller was sent on Friday, 26 February 2010, by US Ambassador in India Timothy Roemer to Washington.  

Chidambaram requested Mueller for access to Headley’s spouse, Shaiza, who he said is in Chicago. Chidambaram said Indian investigators could question Shaiza about her alleged  message to her husband disclosing her knowledge of  Headley’s engagement with Pakistani terrorists.  Mueller said he would look into both requests. In reply to Chidambaram’s observation that the “worst outcome would be a light sentence of two or three years for Headley,” Mueller said Headley is looking at a considerably longer sentence. Reports indicated Shaiza had tipped off  the FBI at least two years ago about her husband’s terror links with the LeT but the agency chose to ignore the information.

According to Wikileaks , the FBI director revealed to Chidambaram that Headley had expressed hatred towards India and may “clam up” if his guilty plea is tied in any way to cooperation with the government of India.

Chidambaram said he suspected Headley had not acted alone. Mueller said Headley was giving the US “the best information for months” on Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The home minister said he had “a feeling in my bones that Headley was not acting here alone,” but conceded that he had no evidence to support his supposition that Headley formed sleeper cells in India, one of which may have been involved in the February 13 bombing in Pune.