The United States government has urged a court in California to dismiss a petition filed by Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana in which he has challenged his extradition to India in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, PTI reported on Thursday.
Rana’s extradition to India was approved by a US court on May 17. In 2011, he was convicted in the US for providing material support to the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, he was found not guilty of conspiracy charges in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attack.
On November 26, 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists took a sea route from Pakistan to Mumbai and carried out a dozen coordinated shooting and bombing attacks at various major landmarks across the city. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 166 persons, including 26 foreigners.
Indian authorities have alleged that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Lashkar-e-Taiba in the orchestration of the Mumbai attacks.
The prosecutors in the case also said that Rana’s immigration law centre in Chicago, as well as a branch office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s terrorism activities between 2006 and 2008.
Judge Jacqueline Chooljian, while allowing Rana’s extradition to India, had said that he has been charged in India with waging war against the state, committing terrorist acts and murder, among other provisions. She noted that all of the offences are extraditable ones as per the treaty between the US and India.
Rana had challenged the decision arguing that his extradition would violate the extradition treaty, according to PTI.
In his petition, he told the court that material submitted by the Indian government fails to establish probable cause that he committed the offences with which New Delhi has charged him.
On June 23, the US attorney for the Central District of California E Martin Estrada said that Rana is unable to demonstrate that the extradition request by India lacks sufficient evidence of probable cause.
He also said Rana’s claims about the legitimacy of his business in Mumbai also fall flat.
“The engagement of legitimate business activities does not preclude a finding that Rana’s business also served as a cover for his childhood friend Headley’s terrorism-related activities in Mumbai,” Estrada argued, according to PTI.
The US attorney further told the court that evidence reveals that neither Rana nor Headley renewed the business lease that expired approximately two weeks before the Mumbai attacks.
He further added that in 2008, when Headley learned that Rana was going to travel to China and India, he decided to warn him that an attack may be forthcoming through a co-conspirator, according to PTI.
“While the details of the conversation between Rana and the co-conspirator are unknown, a September 7, 2009, FBI intercept reveals that Rana told Headley that their co-conspirator had warned him (Rana) that the Mumbai attacks were imminent,” Estrada told the court. “Contrary to Rana’s claim, the co-conspirator’s warning does not suggest that he was unaware of the upcoming attacks.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!