'Pak had refused to seek consular access to Ajmal'

According to a leaked cable sent from US Embassy, available on Wikileaks, Chidambaram told Mueller in one of the meetings last year that there was intelligence that Pakistani entities have taken out a contract to "harm" Kasab following which a full security audit has been ordered in Mumbai to ensure his protection.

The minister readily agreed to Mueller's request that the FBI might seek access to Kasab again and may need a videotaped deposition if he is indicted in the US, the cable marked "secret" said.

He offered to share with the FBI Kasab's video-taped judicial confession which had recently been provided.

The home minister noted that Kasab had requested consular access but the Pakistani Embassy had refused that even though the government of Pakistan had acknowledged that Kasab is a Pakistani citizen.

On National Investigation Agency, Chidambaram observed that he had a new weapon in hand to combat terrorism and also conceded that he was coming "perilously close to crossing constitutional limits" in empowering the NIA.

Mueller agreed that the US Constitution empowers the FBI when crimes "cross state borders" but noted the FBI faces similar jurisdictional problems from local, state and federal agencies.