Denmark May Withhold Info on David Coleman Headley Due to U.S. Death Penalty

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Trials
Posted on Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 08:16:00 AM EST
Tags: David Coleman Headley, Daood Gilani, Denmark (all tags)

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Denmark has information on David Coleman Headley, aka Daood Gilani, the American born man with dual Pakistani-U.S. citizenship. accused in Chicago of plotting both the Mumbai attacks in 2008 and the planned attack on a Danish newspaper.

Denmark won't provide information to a country that is seeking to execute the defendant. The charges against Headley include death-penalty eligible offenses, although the U.S. has not filed a notice of its intent to seek the death penalty. [More...]

Since Headley is cooperating with the U.S., it's unlikely the U.S. will seek the death penalty against him.

They ought to announce that now, so that they can get whatever evidence Denmark has to offer.

National intelligence service PET may be unable to provide crucial information on the terror plot against Jyllands-Posten newspaper to US prosecutors, reports Politiken newspaper.

The case against David Headley, the Pakistani-American charged with plotting to blow up the newspaper’s offices in Copenhagen, is currently ongoing in the US. Federal prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty for Headley, if he is found guilty. He is also being charged in connection with the deadly bomb attacks in Mumbai, India in 2008.
American authorities will probably rely on PET for information – certainly that pertaining to the Jyllands-Posten part of the case, but also additional records of any phone calls or communication made to other people that the FBI believes have connections to terrorist organisations.

However, Denmark’s policy is that it does not extradite persons who may risk being sentenced to death, nor does it provide evidence to foreign authorities that may hand down a death sentence to a convicted criminal.

It's very easy to resolve the dilemma. Headley has two lawyers who have undoubtedly been trying mightily to prevent a death penalty charge from being filed. That's why he's still talking.

If the U.S.