Man accused of Mumbai terror attacks remanded in custody

A Pakistan-born Chicago businessman wanted in India for his role in the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai city has been remanded in custody for 18 days.

Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen, landed in Delhi on Thursday. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed his extradition had been successful.

Indian authorities accuse 64-year-old Rana of aiding the Mumbai attacks by working with childhood friend David Headley to support Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani group blamed for the assault.

On 26 November 2008, 10 militants launched deadly attacks across Mumbai, killing 166 and injuring hundreds, before being stopped by security forces on 29 November.

Rana was extradited from the US and arrested by the NIA upon arrival in Delhi on Thursday evening.

He was escorted to a special court under heavy security, trailed by dozens of journalists vying for a glimpse of Rana.

On Friday, the NIA said in a statement that the agency would question Rana "in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks".

India's home ministry has appointed well-known lawyer Narendra Mann to lead the prosecution in the case.

Rana or his lawyers have not made any public comments yet.

On Friday, the US Embassy in Delhi said in a press release that Rana was to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the attacks.

"Rana's extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks," it said.

In 2011, a US court cleared Rana of directly plotting the attacks but convicted him of supporting the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2013 but released in 2020 on health grounds. He was re-arrested later that year after India requested his extradition.

A US court approved Rana's extradition in 2023, but he remained in custody awaiting final government clearance.

In February, President Donald Trump approved the move following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The US Supreme Court later rejected Rana's appeals against the decision.

US prosecutors in the case said that in 2006, Rana allowed Headley to open an office of his Chicago-based immigration services firm in Mumbai, which Headley then used as cover to scout sites for the 2008 attacks.

The charges brought against Rana by the NIA include criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Indian government and terrorism.