Trump Approves Extradition Of 26/11 Terror Attack Accused Tahawwur Rana To India, Calls Him 'Very Evil'

US President Donald Trump has announced that his administration has approved the extradition of 26/11 terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana “to face justice" in India and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later noted that India is working on the logistics of Rana’s surrender and extradition from the US .

Trump made the announcement during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House.

Rana has been wanted by the Indian law enforcement agencies since a long time and the extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.

India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.

US President Trump On The Matter

US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump reportedly said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."

Trump also announced that India and the US will be working together like "never before" to confront the threat of radical Islamic terror across the world.

What Did Vikram Misri Say?

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium the decision of the United States to extradite” Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.

When asked about the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said, "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”

India-US Joint Statement

The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.

“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.

The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Who Is Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Rana is a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.

India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.

"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists attacked Mumbai, India’s financial capital, and went on a killing spree as they carried out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre. As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault.

In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.