Tahawwur Rana files final plea to block extradition to India over 2008 Mumbai attacks

Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, has petitioned the US Supreme Court to block his extradition to India. India has accused Rana of aiding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six Americans. Rana’s plea comes after repeated rejections in US lower courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which denied his request for a stay on September 23.

Indian authorities allege that Rana provided logistical and financial support to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terrorist organization responsible for the attacks. Rana is said to have assisted LeT through his association with David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American who conducted surveillance and reconnaissance for the attacks. The 2008 Mumbai attacks involved a 60-hour siege across several iconic locations, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and the Jewish Chabad House.

Rana's petition argues that his extradition violates the principle of double jeopardy under US law, as he was acquitted in a Chicago federal court on charges related to the same incident. His plea states, "India now seeks to extradite him for trial on charges based on the identical conduct at issue in the Chicago case." The petition also claims that extradition could lead to a potential death sentence if Rana is convicted in India.

The plea further notes that global cooperation in criminal law enforcement has led to an increase in extraditions, raising questions about individual protections. It states, "The growing globalization of criminal law enforcement and international cooperation... has led to a dramatic rise in extraditions, affecting more individuals and nations." Rana’s legal team has underscored the need for judicial clarity on whether extraditing him on the same charges violates legal safeguards.

India has emphasized Rana’s role in facilitating the attacks, calling for his extradition to face trial on its soil. The Mumbai attacks were carried out by 10 Pakistani militants who infiltrated India by sea and targeted high-profile locations, leaving a trail of destruction. Rana’s Supreme Court appeal marks the final chapter in a lengthy legal battle, with implications for international extradition laws and counterterrorism efforts.