NEW DELHI: Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key conspirator in the devastating 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has been successfully extradited from the United States to India after years of legal battles.

Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian national, is accused of providing logistical support to mastermind David Coleman Headley in planning the 2008 attacks that claimed the lives of 166 individuals and injured hundreds more. This major development was confirmed by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), which expressed that Rana's arrival marks a crucial step toward justice.

Rana, 64, landed in New Delhi on a special flight, accompanied by a multi-agency Indian team, including officials from the NIA and security personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG). His extradition follows a series of rejections of his legal appeals, culminating in a US Supreme Court ruling that cleared the path for his surrender.

Indian authorities have accused Rana of having played a significant role in assisting Headley with reconnaissance operations for the attacks, allegedly facilitating his cover by allowing him to use an office of Rana's immigration services firm in Mumbai. In a distressing revelation, it has been reported that after the attacks, Rana allegedly told Headley, "The Indians deserved it," praising the 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists involved and suggesting they should receive Pakistan's highest military honor, the Nishan-e-Haider.

Upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Rana was formally arrested and has been remanded to 18 days of custody by a special NIA court, wherein interrogations will aim to delve deeper into the conspiracy surrounding the attacks. India has long sought to bring his extradition about since a formal request was made in 2020, illustrating the enduring commitment to pursuing justice for the victims.

Following these events, India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed gratitude for the cooperation between the two countries in counter-terrorism efforts. Rubio stated, "Together, with India, we've long sought justice for the 166 people, including six Americans, who lost their lives in these attacks."

The extradition and forthcoming trial of Tahawwur Rana may provide significant insights into the planning and execution of the attacks, as well as further expose the operational links between Pakistan-based terrorist organizations, like LeT, and actors within the state apparatus.

For further details, please refer to the original articles: BBC, Times of India.