Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today issued the following statement after David Coleman Headley, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes and his role in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed more than 160 people. Headley pleaded guilty in March 2010 to all 12 counts that were brought against him following his arrest in October 2009.

“I have followed the Headley case closely and believe the investigation and prosecution of this case has produced an appropriately lengthy sentence and significant intelligence.

“There have been hundreds of international terrorists who have been convicted and locked away in our federal prisons since 9/11. Compared to the uncertainty and confusion of the few cases currently in the military commission system today, the resolution of this case proves that our federal criminal courts do work and they are capable of convicting terrorists and putting them away for long periods of time.

“Our law enforcement system and federal courts have demonstrated time and time again that they can gain critical intelligence on terrorists and terrorist plots while obtaining significant convictions.”

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