US Celebrates Rana's Extradition, Marks 'Long-Awaited Justice' for 26/11 Victims

Washington, April 11 (NationPress) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday commended the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana - a principal conspirator in the devastating 2008 Mumbai terror attacks - to India, emphasizing that Washington and New Delhi have "long sought justice" for the victims of the 26/11 tragedy.

"We have extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India to face charges for his involvement in orchestrating the atrocious 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. In partnership with India, we have long pursued justice for the 166 individuals, including 6 Americans, who perished in these attacks. I am pleased that this day has arrived," Rubio announced on X Friday evening, according to Indian time.

Rana, a 64-year-old national of Canada born in Pakistan, was held in judicial custody in the US under proceedings initiated per the India-US Extradition Treaty to facilitate his extradition.

This extradition finally occurred after Rana exhausted all legal options to prevent the transfer, coupled with Indian intelligence agencies collaborating closely with US authorities to successfully resolve the issue after years of persistent efforts to bring this key conspirator behind the 2008 carnage to justice.

Notably, Rubio and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conversed over the phone on the evening of April 7, reinforcing the strength of the India-US strategic partnership and exploring avenues to enhance collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It was good to speak with Secretary Rubio today. We exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific, the Indian Sub-continent, Europe, the Middle East/West Asia, and the Caribbean. We agreed on the necessity of concluding the Bilateral Trade Agreement promptly. I look forward to staying in touch," stated EAM Jaishankar after their discussion.

Following Rana's arrival in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce remarked that Washington has extradited Rana to India "to face justice for his role in planning the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks."

"The United States has consistently supported India's efforts to ensure that those accountable for these attacks are brought to justice, and as President Trump has stated, the United States and India will continue to collaborate in combating the global threat of terrorism," the spokesperson mentioned during a routine media briefing early Friday, Indian time.

The US Department of Justice also released a statement, underscoring that Rana - a convicted terrorist, a Canadian citizen, and a native of Pakistan - faces multiple charges in India, including conspiracy, murder, perpetration of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks executed by LeT, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The US stated that the 2008 Mumbai attacks "were among the most horrific and catastrophic in India's history".