'Tahawwur Rana became part of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks conspiracy in 2005'

Tahawwur Hussain Rana became part of the 2611 Mumbai terror attacks conspiracy in 2005 as a member of LashkareTaiba and HarkatulJihad alIslami HUJI and was closely engaged with Pakistanbased conspirators officials saidOn February 13 while briefing the media with Prime Minister Narendra Modi US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved Ranas extradition to India referring to him as one of the plotters and very evil people of the worldThe 64yearold Rana a Pakistanborn Canadian national is a close associate of PakistaniAmerican terrorist and one of the main conspirators David Coleman Headley He is serving supervised detention at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles after completing a 14year sentence in 2023According to news agency PTI once extradited Rana would be the third person to be sent on trial in India in the case after Ajmal Kasab and Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal In November 2012 Kasab the lone surviving Pakistan terrorist was hanged to death in Punes Yerawada JailRana had entered into a criminal conspiracy for executing the 2611 Mumbai terror attacks around the beginning of 2005 along with other coconspirators based in Pakistan as per the National Investigation Agency NIA chargesheet reported PTIRanas role as a coconspirator of the 2611 Mumbai terror attacks surfaced during the central agencys probeRana was arrested by FBI in 2009On October 27 2009 he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Two years later the NIA chargesheeted him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code as well as Section 62 of the SAARC Convention on Suppression of Terrorism PTI reportedRana had assisted Headley in obtaining a visa for India and established Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai which acted as a front an official saidBetween November 13 and 21 2008 Rana had visited Hapur Uttar Pradesh Delhi Agra Kochi Ahmedabad and Mumbai with his wife Samraz Rana Akhtar PTI reported His initial planning includes the attack on Chabad Houses located in different cities PTI reportedIn 2006 Headley had gone to the US and met Rana where they discussed the future action plan officials saidRana remained in contact with Major Iqbal another coconspirator of the 2611 Mumbai terror attacksHeadley and Rana had taken all possible steps to conceal their contacts with the Pakistanbased coconspirators while in the US As Rana was an Army deserter Headley had assured him help through Major Iqbal officials added Headley then applied for a multipleentry business visa to India to establish a branch office of the Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai Rana also facilitated his visa extension for 10 years in July 20072611 Mumbai terror attacks named Northern Project by terroristsThe Mumbai attack coconspirators had directed Headley to seek assistance from Rana and his contacts for travel and conceal the real purpose of the visitHeadley fitted in the plan given his Caucasian appearance and American upbringing officials saidDuring his first visit to India Headley spoke to Rana over the telephone more than 32 times During his second visit the duo spoke 23 times 40 times during the third visit 37 times during the fifth visit 33 times during the sixth visit and 66 times during the eighth visit officials saidHeadley met LeT member Sajid Majid Abu Qahafa Zaki Ur Lakhvi Abu Anes in Muzaffarabad and Major Iqbal in Lahore in or around June 2008 on the directions of the coconspiratorsThey instructed Headley to conduct reconnaissance of various locations in Mumbai using GPS global positioning service devicesMajor Iqbal provided approximately USD 1500 to Headley to operate the immigration firm office in Mumbai He also approved the idea of closing the Mumbai office in future and opening a new business in Delhi to be used as cover for future activities by HeadleyIn July 2008 Headley left Lahore for Dubai and to Mumbai by flight on his eighth visit to IndiaDuring his stay he requested the landlord to extend the rent agreement for the office for 15 more days as the original agreement would have expired in November 2008The request was timed to facilitate Ranas visit to India in November 2008 which was planned in advance in consultation with LeT member Sajid Majid and Major Iqbal who had communicated to Headley through the PakistaniCanadian national to extend the rent agreementEarlier Major Iqbal had tried to contact Headley on the mobile phone towards the end of July 2008 to direct him to conduct a reccee of some important places in India officials saidThis was a deviation from the original plan where it was decided that no calls would be made by the coconspirators based in Pakistan to Headley After he failed to contact Headley Major Iqbal contacted Rana over the telephoneIqbal also communicated with Rana through an email while Headley was in India the officials saidIn October 2008 before the Mumbai attack coconspirator Sajid Majid and Major Iqbal together visited Headleys house in Lahore and discussed the future attack in DenmarkHeadley wanted to name it the Mickey Mouse Project however finally Sajid prevailed and named it as Northern ProjectThe investigation of the criminal conspiracy showed that Headley and Rana did not pursue a single case for the immigration business through the Mumbai office during the entire periodOn November 26 2008 a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage carrying out coordinated attacks on a railway station two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre which killed 166 people including US British and Israeli nationalsWith PTI inputs