US Court Approves Extradition of 26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana to India

Tahawwur Rana, who had been wanted in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, is flying back to India. He has lost the legal battle against extradition in the US. He was likely to be produced before a Delhi court on Thursday.

A conspiracy case has been filed against Rana by the National Investigation Agency about the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. He was onboard the very special flight, which was expected to land in the afternoon.

Who is Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was born on 12 January 1961 at Chichawatni in Punjab, Pakistan, attended Cadet College Hasan Abdal, where he established a close friendship with David Headley, who later turned out to be a co-associate in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana joined the Pakistan Army Medical Corps and served as a general duty practitioner captain.

In 1997, he separated from the army and shifted to Canada alongside his wife, a doctor. In 2001, Rana and his wife were given the status of national Canadian citizens. In Canada, Rana had started his business as an immigration services provider under the banner of 'First World Immigration Services'. Later, Rana moved to the US, where he opened an office in Chicago.

Rana’s connection with Headley

Headly is a co-conspirator in those flat-bombings which killed about 166 human beings and also prejudiced 20 security personnel, down to the last 26 foreigners, across different parts of India - that is, Mumbai. Presently, Headley is serving 35 years at a US prison.

He was born in the USA to a Pakistani father and an American mother. It is being claimed that Headley is Rana's childhood friend. Soon after his birth in the USA, his family moved to Pakistan, and he studied in Hasan Abdal city, Attock district. This is where he became friends with Rana.

Role of Rana in the 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks

On November 11th, 2009, the NIA registered a case against Headley, Rana, and others under section 121A of the PC, section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and section 6(2) of the SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act.

A complete conspiracy has been hatched by Headley of Chicago in Illinois and Rana with the members of Pakistan-based terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) to carry out terrorist activities in New Delhi and various places across India.

In November 2012, the lone surviving terrorist to give firsthand evidence in the 26/11 attacks, Ajmal Kasab, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune. As per investigative officials, Rana had aided Headley in procuring a visa for India and setting up a front for his activities through the 'Immigrant Law Centre' in Mumbai.

What's next after extradition?

According to news agency PTI, Rana will likely be taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency after completing due legal process for further questioning regarding the involvement of state actors from Pakistan behind the 26/11 attacks, and may thereby shed some light on the investigation.

It is also presumed by officials that they might keep him in a highly secured cell at Tihar. Extradition from the US may also throw some leading points about his traveling in parts of northern and southern India days before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, they maintained.

Investigations have revealed the role of senior LeT and HUJI figures – Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alias Tayyaji, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajjid Majid alias Wasi, Illyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Major Abdur Rehman alias Pasha – in the attacks under inquiry, PTI reported. They were working in active connivance and assistance from ISI officers, the officials told PTI.

The NIA special court, Patiala House, has issued non-bailable warrants against all accused persons. Headley and Rana were arrested by law enforcement officers in the US for their case. Consequent upon the request of the NIA, Interpol and CBI have issued red notices against the other seven absconding accused persons.

#TahawwurRana #MumbaiTerrorAttack #Extradition #Justice #NIA