 "File Photo: The US court has approved the extradition of a Canadian businessman of Pakistani descent Tahawwur Rana to India where he is sought for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.")
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian businessman and former military doctor, is being extradited to India to face charges related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The extradition marks a significant step in India's pursuit of justice for one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in its history.
Who is Tahawwur Rana?
Born on January 12, 1961, in Chichawatni, Pakistan, Rana served as a captain in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps before transitioning into business. He operated an immigration services firm and maintained ties with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based Islamist militant group responsible for orchestrating the 26/11 attacks. Rana is also known for his association with David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist and one of the key conspirators of the Mumbai attacks.
Role in the 26/11 attacks
According to investigative agencies, Rana played a crucial role in facilitating Headley’s reconnaissance missions in India. He helped Headley obtain a visa to India and set up a front office in Mumbai under the guise of an immigration consultancy. This office served as a cover for Headley’s surveillance activities targeting locations later attacked by LeT operatives. Rana was aware of Headley’s terror affiliations and actively supported him in planning attacks on high-profile targets, including Chabad Houses and the National Defence College.
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist strikes carried out by ten LeT operatives across Mumbai from November 26 to November 29, 2008. The attackers targeted prominent locations such as the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), and Nariman House. Armed with AK-47 rifles, grenades, and explosives, they unleashed mass shootings and bombings that resulted in the deaths of 175 people (including nine attackers) and injuries to over 300 individuals. The siege lasted nearly 60 hours and drew global condemnation.
Arrest of Tahawwur Rana
Rana was arrested by the FBI in Chicago in October 2009 on charges of providing material support to terrorism. While he was convicted in 2011 for aiding LeT’s planned attack on the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, he was acquitted of charges directly related to the Mumbai attacks by a US court due to jurisdictional limitations. However, India filed an extradition request in 2020, citing his involvement in planning the attacks.
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After years of legal battles, including appeals citing health concerns such as Parkinson’s disease and abdominal ailments, Rana’s attempts to block extradition were denied by US courts. The Supreme Court rejected his final petition earlier this week.
Charges against Tahawwur Rana
Rana face charges under Indian laws for conspiracy to commit terrorism and providing material support to LeT. Upon his arrival in India, he is expected to be presented before a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court for custodial interrogation. Media reports show that he is likely to be lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
[With agency inputs]
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