Mumbai Terror Attack 2008: Pakistani-origin Tahawwur Rana was ‘very relaxed’ in the days following the 26/11 terror attacks. He wanted the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who carried out these attacks in Mumbai to be awarded Pakistan’s highest military honour. In fact, a US court has given green signal to the extradition of Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to India.
California court issued 48-page order
In a major victory for India in the fight to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice, Magistrate Jacqueline Choljian of the Central District Court of California issued the 48-page order on Wednesday (May 17). It said that 62-year-old Rana should be extradited under the extradition treaty between India and the US.
It was also said in this order that the court has reviewed all the documents presented in support and opposition to this request and considered all the arguments. Based on such review and consideration, the court has come to the conclusion that Rana should be extradited to India. The court authorizes the US Secretary of State to take action towards extradition.
Rana’s involvement in the attacks and his association with LeT terrorist David Coleman Headley, according to documents relating to the Certification of Extradition Status and Commitment Order submitted to a US court, a meeting with Rana in Dubai on December 25, 2008 The co-conspirator sent an email to Headley.
In it he had asked, “How is (Rana’s) reaction to what is happening, is he scared or relaxed?” The next day, Headley replied that Rana was ‘quite relaxed’ and was trying to pacify him as well.”
According to this document, in a conversation on September 7, 2009, Rana had told Headley that the nine Lashkar terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks should be given the ‘Nishan-e-Haider’ honour. It is the highest military honor of Pakistan.
Rana also asked Headley to tell one of the co-conspirators responsible for planning the Mumbai attacks that he should get a medal for the top class. The documents also show that Rana was pleased to learn that Headley had praised him on the basis of his earlier statements in which he compared the co-conspirator to a famous general.
Citing its reasoning in detail, the court’s order said that thus the court found probable cause for Rana to commit the alleged offenses for which extradition has been sought.
Should be extradited to India under the extradition treaty between the United States and India. India lodged a complaint on June 10, 2020, seeking Rana’s provisional arrest with a view to extradition. US President Joe Biden’s administration had supported and approved Rana’s extradition to India.
The order also states that Headley supervised the Chabad Houses in Delhi, Goa and Pushkar as well as the National Defense College (NDC) in India. It conducts courses for high-level officers of the Indian Army, Colonel and above. Headley informed Rana about the monitoring here.
In a conversation on September 7, 2009, Headley and Rana discussed targeting the NDC. Rana told Headley that he already knew that the NDC was a target. He talked about how such an attack would kill more high-ranking Indian military officers than in the previous war between India and Pakistan. Rana also set up an email account for Headley so that Headley could communicate securely with Rana.
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