26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition bothering Pakistan? Leaked internal e-mail suggests so

By Team Newsable | First Published Aug 17, 2023, 6:58 PM IST

The leaked e-mail directs Pakistani Consulate in Los Angeles to provide regular updates on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's situation to the Embassy. Rana, a former Pakistani Army doctor turned LeT terrorist, has been held in Los Angeles for over a year.

Pakistan seems to be losing sleep over the possible extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana. This is substantiated by the revelation that the Pakistan Mission in the United States wrote to its Consulate in Los Angeles, urging close monitoring of the extradition case of the Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman.

An internal communication between two Pakistani missions has raised concerns over Rana's potential extradition and its implications. Islamabad appears worried that Rana's extradition could unveil the tactics behind the 26/11 terror attacks, potentially implicating the government and army.

Tap to resize

Latest Videos

Tap to resize

The Pakistan Embassy in Washington has informed the Los Angeles Consulate that Rana's legal team's Habeas Corpus appeal, contesting his extradition to India, has been denied.

The Consulate, responsible for overseeing Rana's confinement, has been instructed to provide regular updates on his situation to the Embassy. Rana, a former Pakistani Army doctor turned LeT terrorist, has been held in Los Angeles for over a year.

To recall, Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently mentioned that Rana will soon face the Indian judiciary.

Rana was apprehended in the US based on India's extradition request for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks. These attacks involved 10 Pakistani terrorists who conducted a more than 60-hour siege, resulting in the death of over 160 individuals, including six Americans, at significant Mumbai locations.

Indian authorities allege that Rana collaborated with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to aid the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in orchestrating the attacks.

Headley, the primary architect of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, confessed and testified against Rana. Rana is resisting extradition, citing double jeopardy due to his Chicago federal courtroom acquittal on Mumbai massacre charges. He argues that he has already been cleared of the charges he would face overseas.

Last month, the Biden administration urged a California court to dismiss Rana's habeas corpus petition, supporting his extradition to India for his alleged role in the Mumbai attacks. India initiated Rana's provisional arrest in June 2020.

E Martin Estrada, the US attorney for the Central District of California, emphasized the lack of evidence in Rana's petition to counter India's extradition request. Rana's attorney expressed concerns about violating the US-India extradition treaty based on his prior acquittal. The attorney also argued that India's evidence does not establish probable cause for the charges.

The US attorney countered Rana's claim of visa application inaccuracies. Rana's ties to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the 26/11 attacks, resulting in 166 casualties, including six Americans, are well-documented. India's National Investigation Agency is pursuing Rana's extradition through diplomatic channels for his alleged involvement in the attacks.

For more reliable and latest news