Washington DC: The United States Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, to prevent his extradition to India, according to media reports.
Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, had filed an emergency application with the US Supreme Court, seeking a stay on his extradition. His petition argued that he would face torture in India due to his Muslim faith and Pakistani background. Rana contended that the risk of torture was particularly high, given his association with the 2008 attacks.
His legal team also raised concerns about the autocratic nature of the Indian government, referencing a Human Rights Watch report on the treatment of religious minorities. Rana’s petition warned that without a stay, the US courts would lose jurisdiction, and he claimed he would “soon be dead.”
The 63-year-old, who has several serious health conditions including an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Parkinson’s disease, and a suspected bladder cancer diagnosis, also argued that his extradition posed a significant health risk.
Rana, who was acquitted of direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks in 2011, remains convicted of providing material support to the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba and aiding a terror plot in Denmark. Rana is alleged to have helped Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley conduct reconnaissance of key targets in Mumbai prior to the 2008 attacks. Headley, who turned approver, testified in US court that Rana assisted in planning the attacks.
Notably, the 26/11 attacks, carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, resulted in 166 fatalities and left more than 300 people wounded. The terrorists targeted multiple locations in Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, The Oberoi Trident, and Nariman House, among others. The attacks, which lasted from November 26 to November 29, 2008, ended after a rescue operation led by India’s National Security Guard (NSG) on November 29.
With the Supreme Court’s rejection of his extradition plea, Rana faces the next steps in his legal battle, with his potential transfer to India for trial still in motion.
