US President Donald Trump clears Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India

In a major announcement after his bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump on Feb 14 said that the United States has agreed to extradite the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to India.

The key accused in the 26/11 terror attack is currently at a high-security prison in the United States and India has been seeking his extradition for years.

"We are handing over a very dangerous man to India, one who is accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack," President Trump said.

As recently as January 21, 2025, the US Supreme Court rejected Tahawwur Rana's review petition paving the way for his extradition to India. "In view of the recent Supreme Court decision, and consistent with applicable US law, the Department of State is currently evaluating next steps in this case," the US State Department had said.

"We have long supported India's efforts to ensure the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks face justice," the statement added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the US's stand to extradite the terror accused and thanked President Trump for confirming his extradition. "A perpetrator of the Mumbai terror attack is being extradited for his interrogation and trial in India. I thank President Trump for expediting the process."

Pakistani-origin businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was convicted for his role in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai that resulted in the death of 164 people, will now be interrogated by Indian agencies and face trial in India.

Rana was aware of the Mumbai terror strike and was in contact with the terrorist groups and their leaders in Pakistan. Rana's co-conspirators included, among others, David Coleman Headley. Headley pleaded guilty and cooperated against Rana.

Rana is also accused of having close links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

An over-400-page chargesheet by the Mumbai police mentions that Tahawwur Hussain Rana came to India on November 11, 2008, and stayed in the country till November 21. He spent two of these days at the Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai's Powai.

Mumbai crime branch had found email communications between Headley and Rana. In one of the emails related to the 26/11 terror attacks, David Headley asked about Major Iqbal's email id.

Major Iqbal, an operative of the Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was named as an accused in the 26/11 terror attack case.

Rana was previously prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The second superseding indictment charged him with three counts. The jury convicted him on Count 11 (conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark). The jury also convicted Rana on Count 12 (providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba).

166 people, including 20 security force personnel and 26 foreigners, were killed and over 300 were injured in the horrific terror attack that took place at Mumbai's iconic Taj Mahal Hotel on November 26, 2008.