26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana successfully extradited from the US: NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday announced that it had successfully secured the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the mastermind of the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice".

Rana, a 64-year-old Pakistan-born Canadian national who has been brought to India, was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to stay the move, the premier anti-terror agency said in a statement.

Noting that the District Court for the Central District of California had ordered his extradition on May 16, 2023, it said that Rana then filed multiple litigations in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all of which were rejected. He subsequently filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, two habeas petitions, and an emergency application before the US Supreme Court, which were also denied. The extradition proceedings were initiated between the two countries after India eventually secured a surrender warrant for the wanted terrorist from the US government, the NIA said in the statement.

It said that with the active assistance of US Department of Justic, the US Sky Marshals, it "worked closely with other Indian intelligence agencies, and the NSG through the entire extradition process, which also saw India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs coordinating with the other relevant authorities in the United States to take the matter to its successful conclusion".

The NIA said that Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley @ Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI), along with other Pakistan-based coconspirators, to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 were injured in the deadly attacks.

Both the LeT and HUJI have been declared as terrorist organisations by the Indian government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, the NIA statement added.

Meanwhile, security arrangements have been intensified at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters and Patiala House Court in the national capital ahead of Rana's arrival to face trial in India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Rana, who is believed to have had close ties with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the terror outfit LeT, faces multiple serious charges under Indian law. These include criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder, forgery, and violations under the UAPA.

Sources said the extradition is being directly overseen by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, along with top officials from the NIA and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

After his arrival, Rana is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward at Delhi's Tihar Jail and produced before a Delhi court shortly after.