Modi-Trump meeting: US agrees to extradite Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to India
Tahawwur Rana, a retired Pakistani military doctor, who also holds Canadian citizenship, is a close confidante of Pakistani-American double agent David Coleman Headley, who is serving a 35-year jail term in the US.
In a major win for Indian efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the worst terror attack in the country's history, the United States has agreed to the extradition of former Pakistani military doctor Tahawwur Rana. US President Donald Trump made the announcement after bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Mumbai terror attack accused will be extradited to India.
CREDIT: AP
'We are handing over a very dangerous man'
"We are handing over a very dangerous man to India, one who is accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack," Trump said.
The announcement comes weeks after the US Supreme Court rejected Rana's review petition challenging his extradition to India, effectively ending his legal options.
What US State Department said
Following the SC order, the US State Department said the next step in the process is being evaluated.
"In view of the recent Supreme Court decision, and consistent with applicable US law, the Department of State is currently evaluating next steps in this case. We have long supported India's efforts to ensure the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks face justice," the US State Department said.
CREDIT: REUTERS
PM Modi thanked President Trump for clearing the extradition of Rana. "A perpetrator of the Mumbai terror attack is being extradited for his interrogation and trial in India. I thank President Trump for expediting the process."
Rana's role in 2008 Mumbai terror attack
Rana, a retired Pakistani military doctor, who also holds Canadian citizenship, is a close confidante of Pakistani-American double agent David Coleman Headley, who is serving a 35-year jail term in the US.
Rana, who ran a travel and immigration business in Canada and the US, used it as a cover for Headley's travel to India to map out the targets Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists attacked on November 26, 2008.
CREDIT: REUTERS
Rana, who is believed to have been working under the orders of Major Iqbal, himself was in India until just days before the Pakistani terrorists struck Mumbai.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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