Former Philadelphian David Headley Gets 35 Years in Mumbai Terror Attacks

Guess he won’t be grabbing a drink at the Khyber Pass Pub for awhile: David Headley, whose mother once owned the Philly club, on Thursday was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in orchestrating the deadly 2007 terror attacks on Mumbai, India. More than 160 people were killed in the incident.

“I don’t have any faith in Mr. Headley when he says he’s a changed person and believes in the American way of life,” said U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber in imposing the sentence, which was in the range of what prosecutors had requested for Headley’s widespread cooperation.

Headley seemed to leap at the chance to spill secrets following his 2009 arrest by the FBI in Chicago and continued providing details even after the U.S. government agreed not to seek the death penalty or allow extradition in exchange for his cooperation.

“I and victims’ families think he should spend the life in prison,” said James Kreindler, an attorney for relatives of American victims. “Thirty-five years will upset some people … but if that sentence means you got good information out of him … and he gets out with a few years to live, some can tolerate it.”

Headley, 52, was a Pakistani native who grew up in America and appeared American, which aided his mission in Mumbai: Scouting out attack locations. [ABC Chicago]