A Chicago court has given the FBI 60 days to complete investigations and file indictment against David Coleman Headley, the US national accused of plotting terror attacks in India and Denmark on behalf of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Chief Judge James F Holderman extended till January 1, 2010, the deadline for filing indictment against Headley, 49, who was arrested, along with Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana, by the FBI in Chicago last month. The FBI chargesheet against him says he was “being used by

the Lashkar-e-Toiba to target among others the National Defence College in New Delhi”.

“This court finds that ends of justice served by extension weigh the best interest of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial because failure to grant such an extension would deny the government reasonable time necessary for effective preparation of the evidence for presentation to the Grand Jury, taking into account the exercise of due diligence,” Judge Holderman said in his order.

The FBI had earlier requested the court to give it more time to complete probes and file indictment, arguing that on October 18, federal agents executed four search warrants at four separate locations and seized a number of computers, among other items of evidence. “The agents are examining the evidence,” the agency told the court.