The US Supreme Court has rejected Tahawwur Rana’s final appeal against his extradition to India, clearing the way for him to be transferred to Indian authorities to stand trial related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The devastating attacks, which unfolded over three days beginning on November 26th, targeted key locations including hotels, a train station and a Jewish center. The resulting death toll reached 166 individuals. India maintains that the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamist group based in Pakistan, was responsible for orchestrating these attacks; however, the Pakistani government has refuted any involvement.
Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani descent residing in Chicago, was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles.
Rana’s connection to the attacks runs through his association with David Coleman Headley, a key figure involved in the conspiracy. Headley conducted reconnaissance of Mumbai prior to the attacks while posing as an employee of Rana’s immigration consultancy.
Headley himself was convicted in the United States on charges including:
- Conspiracy to provide material support for a terrorist plot that targeted Denmark.
- Providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based organization believed to be behind the Mumbai attacks.
Rana’s recent attempts to halt his extradition included filing an “Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus,” initially directed towards Associate Justice Elena Kagan and later redirected to Chief Justice Roberts. These applications were ultimately denied.
The decision to extradite Rana was formally announced earlier this year during a joint press conference between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.
“I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters, and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India,” Trump stated.
“So he is going to be going back to India to face justice.”
