Extradited from the U.S., Rana to Face Trial in India for Role in Mumbai Terror Attacks
In a significant development related to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan has distanced itself from Tahawwur Rana — one of the prime accused in the case — stating he is a Canadian national who has not renewed his Pakistani documents in over two decades.
Rana, 64, will arrive in Delhi on a special flight after the United States extradites him late Wednesday night. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will immediately arrest him and take him into custody at Tihar Jail.
Pakistan Denies Current Links
During a press briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan remarked,
“He is a Canadian national and, as per our record, he has not renewed his Pakistani documents for over two decades.”
While the spokesperson did not elaborate on the type of documents, officials familiar with the matter suggest that they likely refer to national identity cards and passports.
Rana, born in Pakistan in 1961, had served as a doctor in the Pakistani Army before relocating to Canada in the 1990s and acquiring Canadian citizenship in the early 2000s.
Key Accused in 26/11 Plot
Officials believe Rana closely associates with David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-American terrorist who conducted reconnaissance missions for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Headley, who is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States, had testified that Rana played a crucial role by providing both logistical and financial support to the plot.
Indian intelligence agencies allege that Rana maintained strong ties with Pakistan’s ISI, its army, and the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — the group responsible for the 26/11 attacks.
A Tragic Reminder of 2008
The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which began on November 26, 2008, resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six Americans. Ten Pakistani terrorists executed a 60-hour siege on key locations in Mumbai such as the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, CST Railway Station, and Chabad House, leaving the city shaken and the nation grieving.
Legal History and Extradition
The FBI arrested Rana in October 2009 on charges of aiding a failed terror plot against a Danish newspaper and supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba. Although U.S. courts convicted him two years later, Rana delayed his extradition through multiple legal appeals — all of which courts eventually dismissed.
Now that the extradition is complete, India is set to put Rana on trial, seeking justice for one of the deadliest terror attacks in the country’s history.
