Mumbai terror attacks conspirator Tahawwur Hussain Rana praised the nine Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists killed during the 26/11 siege and suggested they be posthumously awarded Pakistan’s highest military gallantry honour, Nishan-e-Haider. The startling revelation was made by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in its official statement confirming Rana’s extradition to India.
Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin and a former officer in the Pakistan Army, is currently in the custody of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). He arrived in New Delhi earlier this week after being extradited from the US, where he had been fighting a legal battle to avoid transfer to Indian authorities.
Intercepted Call Shows Rana Said Indians “Deserved It”
According to the DOJ statement, the explosive remarks by Rana surfaced in an intercepted conversation with his co-conspirator David Coleman Headley. In the call, Rana not only justified the killing of over 166 people during the coordinated assault on Mumbai but also glorified the attackers.
ALSO READ: Pics showing Tahawwur Rana in shackles being handed over to Indian officials appear online
“Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians ‘deserved it’ and said the nine terrorists who died ‘should be given Nishan-e-Haider,’” said the DOJ. The Nishan-e-Haider is the highest military award in Pakistan and is typically reserved for soldiers who die in the line of duty.
Headley, who is currently serving a 35-year sentence in the US, was instrumental in scouting Mumbai targets and passed on intelligence to LeT handlers. Only one of the ten attackers, Ajmal Kasab, survived the assault. He was captured and later executed in Pune in 2012.
Rana Helped Headley Set Up Base in Mumbai Through Fake Business Front
The DOJ further disclosed that Rana had provided extensive logistical support to Headley through his immigration consultancy firm. He allegedly agreed to open a branch in Mumbai and named Headley as its manager, despite Headley lacking any immigration-related experience.
“Rana helped Headley submit visa applications to Indian authorities on two occasions, helping him carry out surveillance missions in Mumbai,” said the statement. The two met frequently in Chicago in the lead-up to the attacks, where Headley reportedly updated Rana on reconnaissance activities and Lashkar’s operational feedback.
ALSO READ: Tahawwur Rana, mastermind of 26/11 terror attack, to be kept in Tihar jail
The NIA has charged Rana with multiple offences, including criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, and murder, under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. His extradition marks a significant development in India’s long-standing efforts to bring all 26/11 conspirators to justice.
Rana’s interrogation, currently underway in a high-security NIA facility, is expected to shed more light on the role of Pakistani state actors in the 2008 attacks. Officials say the information could fill crucial gaps in the 26/11 investigation and reveal deeper links between the LeT and Pakistan’s intelligence establishment.
