India News
Tahawwur Rana, one of the key conspirators behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is set to be extradited to India tomorrow morning, according to sources. Security arrangements have already been intensified in two high-security prisons in Delhi and Mumbai in anticipation of his arrival. Once in India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to take Rana into custody for further investigation, government sources revealed, as reported by national media outlets.
The 64-year-old Tahawwur Rana is a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin and has been identified as a significant player in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He is currently serving a sentence in a prison in Los Angeles. India has been pushing for his extradition for several years, and the U.S. had previously agreed to the request. However, the extradition process faced legal hurdles as Rana filed multiple petitions in U.S. federal courts challenging the move.
Rana's petitions were consistently rejected by U.S. courts, and as a last resort, he approached the U.S. Supreme Court. That too ended in disappointment for him, as the Supreme Court dismissed his plea to halt the extradition. This paved the way for his transfer to Indian authorities.
The deadly 26/11 attacks occurred on November 26, 2008, when ten terrorists from the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba infiltrated South Mumbai via the sea and carried out coordinated attacks at multiple locations, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Oberoi Trident, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Leopold Café, Chabad House, and Cama Hospital. The attacks claimed the lives of 166 people, including 18 security personnel, and left hundreds injured.
Rana is believed to have played a key role in planning the attacks. His connections to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI have been documented, leading to charges against him. He was arrested in 2009 in Chicago by the FBI, and has since been battling extradition.
Now, with all legal avenues exhausted, his arrival in India marks a major step forward in delivering justice for one of the most devastating terror attacks in India’s history.
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