WASHINGTON, Feb 14: India is currently organizing the logistics for the surrender and extradition of Tahawwur Rana from the United States, as stated by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. President Donald Trump has announced that his administration has approved the extradition of the accused in the 26/11 terror attacks “to face justice.”
Misri explained that the US authorities have made definite decisions regarding this matter. “You’ve seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium,” he mentioned during a press conference on Thursday, confirming the US’s commitment to extradite Rana.
In a joint press conference held alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, US President Donald Trump declared that his administration has sanctioned the extradition of the “very evil” Tahawwur Rana, who is sought by Indian law enforcement for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, “to face justice in India.”
Responding to a PTI inquiry regarding the expected timeline for Rana’s extradition, Misri stated, “We are in the process of arranging for his surrender and move to India. A few final steps remain, and both parties are in communication on this matter.”
The joint statement released during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US underlines that Modi and Trump have reaffirmed their commitment to combat the global menace of terrorism and eliminate safe havens for terrorists.
“They vowed to enhance cooperation against terror threats posed by groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba to avert heinous acts like the Mumbai attacks on 26/11 and the bombing at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021,” the statement noted.
“Acknowledging a mutual goal to bring to justice those who threaten our populations, the US has confirmed the approval of Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India,” it added.
The leaders also urged Pakistan to promptly pursue justice for the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks and ensure its territory is not exploited for cross-border terrorism.
Furthermore, they committed to collaborating to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems while preventing terrorists and non-state actors from accessing such weapons, as emphasized in the joint statement.
Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani heritage, is currently detained at a metropolitan detention center in Los Angeles. He has been linked to Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the key conspirators behind the 26/11 attacks.
During the joint press briefing, Trump remarked, “I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the conspirators, a very evil person connected to the horrific Mumbai terror attacks, to face justice in India. He is going back to India to face justice.”
The US Supreme Court cleared Rana’s extradition in January after denying his review petition regarding the case.
Last month, India expressed its commitment to working with American officials to expedite Rana’s extradition.
“The US Supreme Court on January 21 decided not to review a petition from the accused. We are currently coordinating with the US on procedural matters for the rapid extradition of the individual involved in the Mumbai terror attack,” stated External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
On November 26, 2008, a group of ten Pakistani terrorists launched a coordinated assault on Mumbai, India’s financial hub, carrying out attacks on a railway station, two luxury hotels, and a Jewish center, resulting in 166 fatalities over a span of nearly 60 hours.
In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only surviving attacker from the group, was executed at Yerawada Jail in Pune. (PTI)
