US to handover Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 attacks, to India

New Delhi: – The United States will be handing over Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a participant in the planning of the 26/11 terror attack, to India. India had demanded possession of Tahawwur Rana from the United States agencies. It has been reported that Tahawwur Rana has been arrested once again, and the process to hand him over to India has been initiated, following this extradition request from India. Ujjwal Nikam, the Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 case, stated that the arrest of Tahawwur Rana and the initiation of the process to extradite him is a significant victory for India. Nikam also claimed that the activities of the ISI in India also would come to light from the interrogation of Tahawwur Rana.

Tahawwur Rana had a major role in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in the year 2008. Rana, who retired from the Pakistan army, migrated to Canada and started a business in the United States through which he was assisting the terrorists. David Headley, another accused in the 26/11 and a friend of Tahawwur Rana, had said in his statement recorded through video conferencing, at a Mumbai court, that Rana knew about the 26/11 conspiracy well in advance. Headley had told that Rana sent him to Mumbai for work where he observed Mumbai closely and took photographs of sensitive locations in Mumbai. These photos were subsequently handed over to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Headley had also informed in the court that Tahawwur Rana had borne all the expenses.

Both Tahawwur Rana and Headley have been handed out sentences by the US courts. Headley has been given imprisonment for 35 years, and Tahawwur Rana has been sentenced for 14 years of imprisonment by the Chicago court. Rana has been sentenced on the charges of participating in the 26/11 terror plot and planning an attack on a Danish journalist. A few days ago, Rana was released from the prison as he was found to be infected with Coronavirus. But Rana was arrested again, following the Indian demand for his extradition.

In the month of May, the United States handed over an Al-Qaeda operative to India. Now, the United States is preparing to handover Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 terror attack, to India. It is evident from this that the Indo-US cooperation in counter-terrorism activities is becoming more comprehensive.