Washington: Mumbai (Mumbai accused of plotting Terror Attack) Pakistani-born Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana (Tahawwur Rana) on February 12 in the case of extradition of the US Federal Court is hearing. The US government has told the court that Tahawwur Rana wanted the top class medal for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Not only this, he also demanded the highest honor of the Pakistan Army for the nine Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists killed in the attack.
India has declared Rana a fugitive in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks case. David Coleman Headley’s childhood friend Rana (59) was arrested again on June 10 in Los Angeles. He was arrested again on extradition request from India for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in these attacks. Rana was first arrested by the US police in October 2009, shortly after Headley’s arrest at the Chicago O’Hare Airport.
Jacqueline Chelonian, judge of the US District Court in Los Angeles, said in her order issued on November 13 that the extradition hearing in this case would be held on February 12, 2021 at 10 am. Rana has until 21 December to file a petition against his request for extradition. The US government will have another month to file its reply.
On September 28, the US government had supported Rana’s extradition to India. Charges have been framed against him in India, including waging war, carrying out terrorist activity, conspiring to wage war and murder. Rana argued in his defense that the US decision not to extradite Headley to India is inconsistent and it prevents his extradition.
US Attorney Nicola T Hanna said that the US government argued that ‘Headley had met the necessary conditions’.
He said, ‘Rana’s situation is different because he neither confessed to the crime nor cooperated with the US government, so if he could not be given those benefits, then he was given to Headley. This stand is neither inconsistent nor prevents his (Rana) extradition. ‘ Hanna said that unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted all his allegations
Born in Pakistan, Rana had completed his studies at the Army Medical College there and served in the Pakistani Army as a doctor for nearly a decade, but later quit. He is currently a Canadian citizen, but lived in Chicago, where he owned a business.
According to documents filed in the court, he lived in Canada, Pakistan, Germany and Britain and speaks seven languages. Headley had become a government witness for the Mumbai attacks and is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence in the US. Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, a Pakistani national involved in the attack, was hanged on 21 November 2012. He was the only terrorist to be attacked, who was caught alive.
