In a major development, the United States government had moved the California court to seek clearance for the extradition of Pakistani terrorist Tahawwur Rana. The government made the submission after the court had fixed February 12, 2021, as the next date of hearing. The Pakistani-origin terrorist had been asked to submit his opposition to the extradition plea by December 21.
As per a report in Times Now, the US government has supported the extradition. While Rana tried to prevent his extradition by citing the case of David Headley whose extradition request was rejected, the US government sided with India. It argued, “Rana’s situation is different because he neither pleaded guilty nor cooperated with the United States. As a result, cannot avail himself of the benefits afforded to Headley through his negotiated plea. Such a position is neither inconsistent nor a bar to extradition.”
“Unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted responsibility for his conduct and pleaded guilty to all of the charges in the Superseding Indictment,” the US attorney government attorney Nicola T Hanna emphasised. Tahawwur Rana was re-arrested in Los Angeles by the US police after an extradition request was made by the Indian government.
Rana was charged for waging war, committing a terrorist act, commission of murder and conspiracy in the deadly 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He studied at the Army Medical School in Pakistan and also served as a doctor in the army. He holds Canadian citizenship and has been living in Chicago. On the other hand, David Headley who plotted the 26/11 attacks was arrested from Chicago in 2009 and is now serving a 35-year jail term for his role in the terrorist attack. He and Rana also helped Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami to execute the attacks.
Mumbai Terror Attacks
On 26th November 2008, 10 Islamic terrorists from Pakistan had sneaked inside the country to create havoc in the country for 3 long, un-ending days. Shooting and bombing several locations in the financial capital of India, Mumbai, the terrorists left a trail of blood. Between 26/11 and 29th November 2008, not just 167 lives were lost, but the entire nation was gripped in fear and worry.
US announces $5 million for Pakistani terrorist Sajid Mir
On the 12th anniversary of the dastardly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the US State Department Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program has announced a whopping $5 million for information about a Pakistani terrorist named Sajid Mir. “The Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of Sajid Mir for his role in these attacks,” the website read.
As per RJF, Sajid Mir is associated with radical Islamist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). He was the operations manager for the LeT during the Mumbai attack that killed over 167 people. He had played a crucial role in planning, preparation and execution of the terror attack. Mir was charged for conspiracy, terror support, the bombing of public property, the murder of US citizens outside the country and injuring the property of a foreign government.