US Supreme Court clears extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attack convict Tahawwur Rana to India

26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana to be extradited to India after final legal blow by US SC

The US Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition by Tahawwur Rana, clearing the path for his extradition to India in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. This marks Rana’s final legal attempt to avoid extradition, following defeats in multiple federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Supreme Court denial

On November 13, Rana filed a “petition for a writ of certiorari” with the US Supreme Court, challenging the decision to extradite him. The court denied the petition on January 21, shortly after Donald Trump assumed office as US President. In its brief order, the Supreme Court stated, “Petition DENIED.”

Rana’s legal battle

Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. India has sought his extradition to prosecute him for his alleged role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, which claimed 166 lives, including six Americans.

In his petition, Rana argued that he was tried and acquitted in a US federal court in Chicago for charges related to the 2008 attacks. He contended that India’s extradition request was based on the same conduct addressed in the Chicago trial.

US government’s position

The US Solicitor General, Elizabeth B. Prelogar, urged the Supreme Court to deny Rana’s petition, arguing that he was not entitled to relief from extradition. Prelogar highlighted that India’s charges against Rana include offences such as forgery, which were not part of the US prosecution. Specifically, she noted that the forgery charges involved Rana’s use of false information in an application to open a branch of the Immigration Law Center in India.

“It is not clear that the jury’s verdict in this case…means that he has been ‘convicted or acquitted’ on all of the specific conduct that India has charged,” Prelogar stated.

Rana’s connection to 26/11 attacks

Rana is closely associated with David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist and one of the main conspirators of the Mumbai attacks. Headley’s reconnaissance efforts for the attacks were reportedly facilitated through Rana’s business ventures.

The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were orchestrated by 10 Pakistani terrorists who carried out a coordinated assault, killing civilians at prominent locations across the city during a 60-hour siege. The attacks left a lasting impact on global counterterrorism strategies.

Next steps

With the Supreme Court’s decision, India’s request to extradite Rana has cleared its final legal hurdle in the US The case now awaits the execution of the extradition order, marking a significant development in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the 26/11 attacks.

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