Tahawwur Hussain Rana's Extradition to India Approved by U.S. Supreme Court
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tahawwur Hussain Rana |
| Birth | Born on 12 January 1961 in Chichawatni, Punjabi, Pakistan |
| Background | Former military doctor in the Pakistan Army with the rank of Captain. Later migrated to Canada and became a citizen. Settled in Chicago, USA, and established businesses including First World Immigration Services and a halal butcher shop. |
| Key Relationship | Close friends with David Headley since their school days at Cadet College Hasan Abdal. Headley was a key planner in terrorist attacks. |
| Business in the USA | Operated First World Immigration Services in Chicago, New York, and Toronto. Also managed a halal meat business. Lived in a quiet Chicago neighborhood with his family and owned a home in Ottawa, Canada. |
| Terrorism Charges | Arrested in 2009 for aiding in planning two major terrorist plots: 2008 Mumbai Attacks (over 160 deaths) and a planned attack on Danish Newspaper (Jyllands-Posten). Found guilty of aiding Headley in planning these attacks but not directly involved in the Mumbai attacks. |
| Support to Terror | Provided fake documents and allowed Headley to use his immigration office as a cover, facilitating travel and communication with other terrorists. Received a video from Al-Qaeda, linking him to terrorist groups. |
| Defense Claims | Claimed he believed Headley was working for Pakistan's spy agency (ISI) and was unaware of terrorist activities. His family insisted he was innocent and was misled by Headley. |
| Militant Links | Connections with Ilyas Kashmiri, a terrorist leader linked to Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Maintained ties with former military school friends, some of whom supported violence. |
| Court Verdict | In 2013, sentenced to 14 years in U.S. prison for aiding terrorists. Not found guilty of direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks. |
| Extradition | U.S. Supreme Court approved extradition to India in 2023, confirmed by President Donald Trump in 2025. Rana may now face trial in India for the Mumbai attacks. |
| Significance | Highlights how educated, military-backed individuals can be drawn into terrorism. Demonstrates the international networking of terrorists, which complicates global counter-terrorism efforts. |