NEW DELHI, Apr 9 – Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is set to be extradited from the United States to India soon, sources confirmed on Wednesday. Rana, a Pakistan-origin Canadian national, has exhausted all his legal options in the US, bringing him closer to facing Indian law for his involvement in the attack that claimed 166 lives.
A multi-agency team from India is currently in the US to finalize his extradition process, and sources suggest that Rana could be brought back to India in the near future. His extradition follows a failed last-ditch attempt by Rana to stop the process, after the US Supreme Court rejected his application to delay the extradition.
Rana, who was arrested in 2009 for his role in the attacks, is linked to Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the primary conspirators in the 26/11 attacks. The US government had previously approved Rana’s extradition during a joint press conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in February, with Trump describing Rana as one of the “very evil people of the world.”
Once extradited, Rana will likely be held in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the investigation into the attack. Indian officials have also uncovered that Rana visited several parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, in the days leading up to the attacks. These visits are expected to provide crucial leads in the investigation.
The Mumbai terror attack, carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists, targeted multiple locations across Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, and Chabad House, among others. The assault lasted nearly 60 hours and brought India to the brink of war with Pakistan. Rana is accused of providing logistical and financial support to Headley and assisting in the reconnaissance of attack targets.
The NIA had long sought Rana’s extradition, as he is believed to have helped facilitate the planning of the attacks and also supported the planning of an attack on the National Defence College in New Delhi. His extradition is expected to shed more light on the role of Pakistani state actors and terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) in the attack.
Rana’s extradition also marks a significant victory for India’s long-standing efforts to bring perpetrators of the 26/11 attack to justice. (Agencies)
Tags: Northlines, Tahawwur Rana
