Tahawwur Rana’s Extradition Set to Strengthen India’s Case on Pakistan’s Role in 26/11 Attacks

New Delhi – The extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India could serve as a crucial breakthrough in unraveling the intricate planning behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and in establishing Pakistan’s involvement—an allegation Islamabad has long denied despite mounting evidence.

Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman currently in U.S. custody, is considered a significant link in the chain of individuals who facilitated the 2008 attacks, which left over 160 people dead and hundreds injured. His extradition is expected to open a new chapter in the investigation, particularly in exposing the role played by Pakistan’s state and non-state actors.

One of the pivotal moments in implicating Rana came during the testimony of David Coleman Headley, also known as Daood Sayed Gilani, his childhood friend and co-accused in the case. Headley, who turned approver, testified before a Mumbai court in 2016 via video conference from a secure U.S. location, shedding light on his deep-rooted links with Pakistan’s terror networks and Rana’s active collaboration.

Headley disclosed that Rana had sanctioned the opening of a business office in Mumbai, which was later used as a front to conduct reconnaissance missions for the attacks. This office, operating under the name of First World Immigration Services—a company owned by Rana in the U.S.—provided the perfect cover for Headley to collect intelligence on potential targets across Mumbai.

According to the charge sheet filed by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), Rana facilitated multiple aspects of the operation. He was alleged to have provided logistical support, financial aid, and false documentation, all of which played a significant role in enabling Headley to travel, operate, and carry out surveillance in India ahead of the attacks.

During his deposition, Headley answered a series of questions posed by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, describing in detail how he coordinated with Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives and Pakistani handlers to finalize the attack plans. His testimony underscored Rana’s involvement, revealing how he knowingly enabled and endorsed activities that culminated in the tragedy.

Although Rana was acquitted in the U.S. of direct charges related to the Mumbai attacks, he was convicted in 2011 for supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba and for plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper that had published controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. Despite the acquittal, documents and testimonies from that trial brought to light his relationship with Headley and his indirect role in aiding the 26/11 conspiracy.

A statement released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2013 following Rana’s conviction noted that he was aware of Headley’s ties to Lashkar and had admitted this during interrogation. The FBI said, “Rana admitted knowing that Lashkar was a terrorist organization and that Headley had attended training camps operated by Lashkar in Pakistan. He approved Headley’s request to set up an office in Mumbai to support his surveillance assignments.”

The FBI further elaborated on how the plot was executed. In mid-2006, Headley and two Lashkar operatives discussed the idea of establishing an immigration office in Mumbai as a front. Headley later informed Rana of this plan, and Rana not only approved but also provided documentation and logistical support through his firm to facilitate the mission. Headley traveled to India five times under this cover, gathering critical information on several high-profile locations in Mumbai—details that were later used by the attackers in November 2008.

Even after the attacks, Headley discussed the operation with Rana, reviewing the surveillance work and planning future objectives. Emails, official records, and testimony all point toward Rana’s knowledge of and participation in activities that went beyond legitimate business dealings.

With his extradition now underway, Indian investigators hope to interrogate Rana further and bring new clarity to the extent of involvement of Pakistani entities—particularly the nexus between Lashkar-e-Taiba and state-backed institutions—in orchestrating one of the deadliest terror attacks on Indian soil.