Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a significant development, fresh images have emerged of US Marshals officially handing over Tahawwur Rana — accused of aiding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks — to Indian authorities. The extradition marks a crucial moment in India’s pursuit of justice for the victims of the 26/11 attacks.
The US Justice Department released photographs of Rana dressed in a beige prison-issued uniform, flanked by US Marshals, while being delivered into the custody of officials from India’s Ministry of External Affairs at a secure location on April 9.
Rana’s Role In 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks
Between November 26 and 29, 2008, ten terrorists trained by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) executed a horrific terror attack across Mumbai, killing 166 people.
Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian citizen based in Chicago, is accused of facilitating the attacks by enabling his childhood friend and co-conspirator, David Coleman Headley (Daood Gilani), to travel to India using fake documents provided through Rana’s immigration business.
Headley, trained by LeT, conducted surveillance of multiple Mumbai targets and provided critical reconnaissance reports to the terror outfit.
Intercepted Conversations Expose Rana’s Mindset
According to the US Justice Department, after the attacks, Rana allegedly remarked that the victims “deserved it” and praised the attackers, suggesting they merited Pakistan’s highest military award — the Nishan-e-Haider.
Previous Conviction In The US
In 2009, Rana was arrested for his involvement in a separate LeT-linked terror plot targeting a Danish newspaper that published cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. In 2013, he was convicted by a US court for conspiring to support LeT and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
David Headley, meanwhile, turned informant and pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism-related charges, including involvement in the 26/11 attacks, and is currently serving a 35-year sentence in the US.
