US did share intelligence information, says Chidambaram

NEW DELHI - Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said the United States did share intelligence information before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, but David Coleman Headley was not mentioned.

“The US did share information before 26/11, but David Headley was not mentioned. On Headley, I think the issue is being blown out of proportion,” said Chidambaram, while addressing the media persons here today.

“The US did share intelligence with us in the months leading up to 26/11, although the name David Headley was not mentioned. After 26/11 also, the US has shared intelligence with us as I have said in past occasions,” he added asserting that the controversy over whether the US had failed to share intelligence on David Headley before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks had been blown out of proportion.

Chidambaram further said the US is carrying out a full review of the information it had before and after 26/11, and the review would be shared with India.

“Intelligence sharing between the two countries is extremely good. The name of David Headley was shared with us sometime in October 2009,” he said.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake had earlier on October 22 said all the information they had regarding David Headley was shared with India.

Talking to reporters here, Blake said: “Whenever the United State has had any specific information, it has been shared with India.”

“I would want to reassure all of you that whenever we had any specific information on any chance of attack wherever in the world, particularly against our friends like India, we shared that information on a real time basis right away,” he added.

He further said that USA attached so much importance to its relationship with India that nothing was kept away from their ‘friend’.

Blake was responding to a question on Home Secretary G K Pillai’s remark that India was not informed specifically about Headley prior to Mumbai terror attacks. (ANI)