26/11 Mumbai Attack Convict, Tahawwur Rana’s Extradition Approved.

Extradition Approved for 26/11 Mumbai Attack Convict Tahawwur Rana

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Pinky Deshmukh

Last Updated: January 25, 2025

Summary: The US Supreme Court approved the extradition of Mumbai terror attack convict Tahawwur Rana to India.

The extradition of 2008 Mumbai terror attack prisoner Tahawwur Rana to India was approved by the US Supreme Court on Saturday, according to PTI.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani descent, is wanted in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, and India is requesting his extradition. Rana had one more legal opportunity to avoid being deported to India.

He had previously lost a case in many federal courts, including the San Francisco-based US Court of Appeals for the North Circuit. This was his last chance, which was dismissed.

US Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar urged the Supreme Court to deny the petition on December 16. In his December 23 answer, Joshua L. Dratel, Rana's attorney, contested the US Government's recommendation and begged the Supreme Court to grant his appeal.

Rana claimed that he was tried and found not guilty in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago) on accusations connected to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in his "petitions for a writ of certiorari to review the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit."

"India now seeks to extradite him for trial on charges based on the identical conduct at issue in the Chicago case," added the statement.

To which the US Solicitor General said, "The government does not concede that all of the conduct on which India seeks extradition was covered by the government's prosecution in this case. For example, India's forgery charges are based in part on conduct that was not charged in the United States: petitioner's use of false information in an application to formally open a branch office of the Immigration Law Center submitted to the Reserve Bank of India.”

"It is not clear that the jury's verdict in this case- which involves conspiracy charges and was somewhat difficult to parse - means that he has been "convicted or acquitted" on all of the specific conduct that India has charged.”

Rana has been linked to David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist who was a key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Ten Pakistani terrorists established a siege over Mumbai for more than 60 hours, striking and executing people at crucial and famous sites, killing 166 people in all, including six Americans.