NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, D.C., January 3, 2024: After years of legal proceedings, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, is on the verge of being extradited from the United States to India. Rana is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed the lives of over 160 people and left hundreds injured.
Rana, a former Pakistani military doctor who later became a Canadian citizen, had moved to Chicago, where he ran an immigration services business. In 2009, he was arrested alongside his childhood friend, David Coleman Headley, for plotting an attack on the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. During the investigation, evidence surfaced linking him to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terrorist organization responsible for orchestrating the Mumbai attacks.
In 2011, Rana was convicted in the U.S. for providing material support to terrorism and sentenced to 14 years in prison. While serving his sentence, India sought his extradition to prosecute him for his alleged involvement in facilitating the deadly Mumbai operation.
The extradition process gained momentum in May 2023 when a U.S. court approved India’s request. Rana challenged the decision, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the extradition order in August 2024, denying his habeas corpus petition. The court’s ruling left Rana with a 45-day window to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. With no successful appeal lodged, the extradition process has entered its final stages.
Indian officials have been in talks with their U.S. counterparts to expedite the transfer. The extradition is being viewed as a crucial step in India’s ongoing efforts to seek justice for the victims of the 26/11 attacks. Authorities in India believe Rana’s testimony could provide critical insights into the planning and execution of the attacks, shedding further light on the global network of terrorism.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks, often referred to as India’s 9/11, were carried out over four days in November 2008, targeting prominent locations, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. India has consistently pursued accountability for the attack, which was traced to LeT operatives in Pakistan.
