US Supreme Court Clears Extradition Of Mumbai Attack Convict Tahawwur Rana

The US Supreme Court has approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, convicted in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, to India, dismissing his review petition. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is wanted in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks. This ruling marks Rana's final opportunity to avoid extradition, as he had previously lost appeals in several federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

On November 13, 2020, Rana filed a "petition for a writ of certiorari" before the US Supreme Court, which was denied on January 21, 2021, just after Donald Trump assumed the presidency. The Supreme Court issued a brief statement, "Petition DENIED."

Rana, 64, is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles.

The US government had argued that Rana should not be granted relief from extradition. Solicitor General Elizabeth B Prelogar stated in her December 16 filing that Rana's case did not entitle him to any further legal remedy. She noted that Rana was acquitted in federal court in Chicago on charges related to the Mumbai attacks, but India's extradition request involves charges that were not covered in the US prosecution, such as those linked to his use of false information in an application to open a branch office of the Immigration Law Center in India.

Prelogar emphasized that the jury's verdict in the Chicago case did not necessarily address all the specific conduct for which India seeks his extradition.

Rana is known to have had ties to David Coleman Headley, a key conspirator in the 26/11 attacks. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists, resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six Americans, and over 300 injuries. The terrorists laid siege to several iconic locations in Mumbai for over 60 hours.

Also Read: 26/11 Attack Accused Tahawwur Rana's Extradition Request Approved By US Court