The North News
Chandigarh, April 10
After years of legal battles in the US, a key accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has been extradited to India. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian businessman of Pakistani origin, is expected to land in India shortly. He is accused of playing a key role in the planning and execution of the attacks, which killed more than 170 people. According to official sources, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and top officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs are personally monitoring the high-profile extradition case.
Rana’s involvement was revealed during testimony by David Coleman Headley, his childhood friend and a co-accused in the case. Headley, who turned government witness under a plea deal with US authorities, testified through video link before a special court in Mumbai in 2016. Headley said he was in frequent contact with Rana and had obtained his permission to set up a business office in Mumbai. Indian investigators say this office was used as a cover for reconnaissance operations ahead of the attacks, the news outlet NDTV reported.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged Rana with providing logistical and financial support to Headley and others linked to the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been blamed for carrying out the coordinated attacks. Rana’s extradition was approved by US courts following years of legal back-and-forth and sustained diplomatic pressure from India, the news outlet said.
