26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana Seeks Stay On Extradition To India, Cites Safety Concerns: 'Can't Be Sent To...'

Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 26/11 terror attacks, has approached the US Supreme Court seeking an emergency stay on his extradition to India.

His extradition was approved by the Donald Trump administration during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In what appears to be a last-ditch attempt, Rana claimed in his petition that he would be subjected to torture and possibly killed in India due to his nationality, religion, and social identity.

The petition states that as a Muslim of Pakistani origin and a former member of the Pakistani Army, he would be vulnerable to mistreatment in custody and could succumb to his deteriorating health condition. Rana asserts that he suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm, which could rupture at any moment, along with Parkinson's disease and suspected bladder cancer.

In his plea, he argued that he could not be sent into a "hornet's nest".

He further alleged that the Indian government is becoming increasingly autocratic, citing the 2023 Human Rights Watch World Report, which claims systematic discrimination and stigmatisation of religious minorities, particularly Muslims, in India.

Tahawwur Rana is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the key conspirators behind the November 26, 2008 attacks in Mumbai, which resulted in 166 fatalities.

Headley has testified against Rana in a US court, stating that he had visited India five times between 2007 and 2008 to conduct reconnaissance of potential targets in Mumbai.

A businessman, physician, and immigration entrepreneur of Pakistani origin, Rana is alleged to have ties to the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

His involvement in facilitating the attacks has long been a point of contention between India and the United States.

However, during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi, President Trump declared, "Today, 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 (Tahawwur Rana), having to do with the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India."

In 2011, a US court acquitted Rana of charges related to abetting the Mumbai terror attacks but convicted him for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba and assisting in a terror plot in Denmark. Recently, the US Supreme Court dismissed a review petition he had filed.

The 26/11 Mumbai attacks targeted several key locations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel. The attacks resulted in 166 deaths, including 20 personnel from the police and security forces, as well as 26 foreign nationals.