2008 Mumbai terror attack; US court orders extradition of Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana

WASHINGTON: A US court has ordered the extradition of Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana (63), who was behind the Mumbai terror attack, to India. Rana is currently in jail in Los Angeles. The order came after India handed over evidence that proved Rana guilty. This is what paved the way for Rana's extradition under the US-India Extradition Treaty. A court in California had also ordered Rana's extradition to India in May last year. Rana's petition against this was rejected. The order of the Court of Appeal affirmed this judgment.

The case alleges that Rana and US terrorist David Headley conspired with Pakistani terrorist organizations including Lashkar-e-Taiba to carry out the Mumbai terror attack. Headley, who is of Pakistani origin, is currently in an American jail.

166 people were killed in the terrorist attack on November 26, 2008. In 2013, a Chicago court sentenced Rana to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty in a case of planning a terrorist attack in Denmark and in a case of providing support to Lashkar terrorists. He was not convicted by the US court in the Mumbai terror attack case because his role in the attack was not proven. He was released from prison in June 2020 after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and was arrested again by the US at India's request.