New Delhi, Sunday 15 November 2009: In a sign of growing ties between Indian and American security agencies, CIA chief Leon E. Panetta is paying a three-day visit to India from November 20, with anti-terror cooperation high on the agenda.

During his visit, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency head is likely to discuss issues ranging from cooperation on counter-terrorism and sharing of intelligence among others with top security experts of the country.

The top American intelligence officer will also discuss the probe carried out by the US and Indian investigators on David Coleman Headley and his Canadian associate Tahawwur Hussain Rana, arrested by FBI for suspected links with LeT and plotting terror attacks in India.

Home Ministry officials said following the last year’s terror attacks in Mumbai, U.S. authorities are extremely cooperative with Indian security agencies and parting with key information.

“U.S. officials are extremely cooperative now. We had no clue about the activities of Headley and Rana till their arrest. They sent a detailed report which is helping us in our probe,” a Home Ministry official said.
(Agency)