New Delhi: After 16 long years, the US finally extradited Tahawwur Rana, a prime accused of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to India. According to Dynamite News correspondent, the 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin landed in Delhi on a special flight from Los Angeles Thursday evening. A court immediately handed him over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for 18 days of questioning.
Who is Tahawwur Rana?
He is a former Pakistan Army Medical Corps officer who ran an immigration consultancy firm in the US. Rana was a close associate of David Headley, the main 26/11 plotter, he helped Headley get a 10-year Indian visa for reconnaissance and allegedly set up a sleeper cell in Canada.
Rana was not just a facilitator, he was a crucial link between Pakistan’s ISI (spy agency), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists and David Headley, who scouted attack sites in Mumbai.
"He was the bridge," said a security source. "ISI couldn’t talk directly to Headley—Rana was their middleman."
What Will NIA Ask Him?
His exact role in the 26/11 attacks
Also Read |
From Doctor to Terrorist: The unholy Journey of Tahawwur Rana
Who else was involved (including ISI handlers)
How terrorists entered India via sea route
Details on LeT chiefs like Hafiz Saeed & Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
The Uniform Phobia
Rana, despite being a doctor by profession, had a strange infatuation with the Pakistan Army’s dress. According to Dynamite News correspondent, he intermittently wore the uniform during clandestine meetings with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, including co-conspirator David Coleman Headley (alias Javed).
From Medicine to Terrorism
Rana’s journey from army doctor to terror recruiter is expedient. He served as a medical professional in the Pakistan Army. Later, he joined Lashkar-e-Taiba’s political wing, controlled by 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, connected with Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), another Pakistan-based terror group. He also played a key role in devising attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes.
Rana, despite being a doctor by profession, had a strange infatuation with the Pakistan Army’s dress. According to Dynamite News correspondent, he intermittently wore the uniform during clandestine meetings with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, including co-conspirator David Coleman Headley (alias Javed).
Also Read |
US Supreme court clears decks for 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India
From Medicine to Terrorism
Rana’s journey from army doctor to terror recruiter is expedient. He served as a medical professional in the Pakistan Army. Later, he joined Lashkar-e-Taiba’s political wing, controlled by 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, connected with Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), another Pakistan-based terror group. He also played a key role in devising attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes.
The 26/11 Attacks: A Quick Recap
On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists attacked Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Nariman House Jewish Center, etc. The 60-hour siege killed 166 people and brought India-Pakistan to the brink of war.
What’s Next?
Rana’s interrogation could expose Pakistan’s direct role in the attacks and reveal names still hiding abroad.
