The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday officially arrested Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, after his extradition from the United States. Rana was brought to Delhi, where officials formally recorded his arrest.
Rana Brought to Delhi Under Tight Security
Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, landed in Delhi on Thursday evening aboard a special plane from Los Angeles. NIA officials and National Security Guard (NSG) commandos escorted him to India with high-level security arrangements. His arrest was recorded shortly after his arrival at the airport.
Years of Legal Resistance Ends in Extradition
Rana was held in US judicial custody while the NIA pursued extradition under the India-US Extradition Treaty. The process took years, during which Rana filed several legal petitions to block the move. However, his attempts failed at every level of the US judiciary.
A California District Court had ordered his extradition on May 16, 2023. He challenged the decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but the court rejected his appeals. Rana also approached the US Supreme Court with a petition for a writ of certiorari, two habeas corpus petitions, and an emergency application — all of which were denied.
India’s Coordinated Diplomatic Push
The NIA said in an official statement, “The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday 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.”
India secured a surrender warrant for Rana from the US government, initiating the formal extradition process between the two nations. The NIA coordinated closely with the US Department of Justice (USDoJ), the US Sky Marshal, and Indian agencies, including the NSG, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of External Affairs.
“With the active assistance of USDoJ, the US Sky Marshal, NIA worked closely with other Indian intelligence agencies, 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.
Accused of Aiding Terror Conspiracy With LeT and HUJI
Rana is accused of working with David Coleman Headley, also known as Daood Gilani, and members of banned terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI). Authorities allege that they, along with other Pakistan-based conspirators, planned and executed the coordinated attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.
The devastating 26/11 attacks killed 166 people and left over 238 injured as gunmen stormed multiple locations, including hotels, a Jewish center, and the railway station.