Rana rearrested for role in 26/11 attacks
59-yr-old tested +ve for Covid, was released from jail
Canadian national Tahawwur Rana, a wanted accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case was arrested by the authorities in the United States, based on an open Indian warrant declaring him a fugitive.
Rana (59) was released after he tested positive for Covid-19. He was placed under arrest on June 10. He had colluded with David Coleman Headley, another key conspirator who along with the Lashkar-eTaiba executed the terror strikes.
The arrested accused is likely to be extradited to India. However, there is lack of clarity pertaining to this, officials said.
Rana was arrested from Los Angeles and it was later learnt that he was apprehended based on the open request for extradition from India.
Rana (59) is Headley’s childhood friend and he was released on compassionate grounds after allegedly having contracted Covid-19, while serving a 35 years prison sentence.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who represented the state government in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, on Saturday said that extradition of Rana will throw more light on the activities of the ISI.
“Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, during his deposition before a court via video link, had accepted that Rana knew the entire criminal conspiracy of 26/11
Mumbai attack,” Nikam said.
“Headley had also admitted that Rana used to finance him,” he added.
According to Nikam, Headley had then made “sensitive revelations” involving the terrorist activities of Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) and their links with ISI.
The Indian government and their American counterparts entered a bilateral Extradition Treaty in 1997.
Rana is wanted in India for number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, criminal conspiracy, forgery and murder as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Rana was produced in a US court on June 11 and a hearing has been scheduled on June 30.
Between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley, also known as Daood Gilani, and others associated with the Pakistan based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-eIslami (both US-designated terrorist organisations) and hatched the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008.
At least 166 people, including six US nationals, were killed in the terror strikes. Headley, who has been made an approver in the case, is currently serving a 35year prison term in the US for his role in the attack.
According to the US prosecutors, Rana was first arrested in Chicago on October 18, 2009. Thereafter he went to trial in the US District court for the Northern District of Illinois where Headley testified for prosecution.
The jury convicted him of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark, and one count of providing material support to LeT.
The jury, however, acquitted Rana of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in India.
Harry D. Leinenweber, US District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, sentenced Rana to a 168-month prison term.
On May 7 this year, Rana filed a motion for compassionate release in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
In his motion, Rana claimed that he has tested positive for the
Covid-19, and his precarious medical conditions put him at the extreme risk of life-threatening complications. Rana also asked the court to reduce his sentence and allow him to return to Canada. Rana is a Canadian citizen, but he was a residence of Chicago and running a business in the city at the time of his arrest.
His petition was rejected by Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, Chief US District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois on May 18.
He filed a second petition - Renewed Motion for Compassionate Release - on June 4. Five days later on June 9, Judge Leinenweber granted Rana’s motion, reduced his sentence to time served and ordered his immediate release, while leaving intact all other aspects of his criminal conviction.
Rana was serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island in San Pedro, California.
Given that he is a Canadian citizen, the Department of Homeland Security has filed an immigration detainer for him with the Bureau of Prisons.
He was formally rearrested the very next day on June 10. The Bureau of Prisons is currently holding Rana at that facility pursuant to the immigration detainer.
Luiejian told the court in his submission dated June 10 that a formal request for extradition from the Indian government, supported by the documents specified in the Treaty, will be presented and finalised within the time required under the Treaty.
Between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with his childhood friend Headley and others located in Pakistan to assist LeT and Harakat ul-Jihad-eIslami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Headley was involved in plotting the Mumbai terror attacks in which
166 people were killed. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who represented the state government in the
26/11 case, said that extradition of Rana will throw more light on the activities of the ISI.