MYSTERY BEHIND TAHAWWUR H. RANA & DAVID C. HEADLEY
Tahawwur Hussain Rana (THR), alongwith David Coleman Headley (DCH), his school classmate and a few others supported by Pak I.S.I. (Inter Services Intelligence) conspired against India in November 2008.This was not the beginning of a tirade against India.This would not indicate a nemesis of such a painful plan to destabilize India. Our neighbours over the years have scripted several modules through I.S.I. to get deeper into Indian territory and have exploited the sentiments of Muslims, other minorities and disadvantaged sections.
Four features of their anti India policy are:
• To weaken Kashmir movement at a minimal cost and force its settlement on terms acceptable to Pakistan,
• To weaken India’s strength by hitting at its perceived fault lines and to pursue the policy of thousand cuts,
• To prevent India from emerging as a strategically dominant power in the region and
• To render Indian borders porous and bordering states vulnerable.
BACKGROUND OF MUMBAI ATTACK
Before we proceed further, it may be noted that the Mumbai attack got delayed on account of rough sea conditions and Delhi was also to be targeted in addition to Mumbai. Sea route was planned due to risks involved in land and air travels. Moreover, DCH had done a reece of sea route and the same was brought to the notice of Pakistani mentors.
Both THR and Daood Gilani (DG) hailed from good families having foreign connections. As D.G.’s mother was an American, he soon migrated to USA.THR after completing his medical education joined Pak Army Medical Corp and got married to a Canadian national. When he was removed from Army in 1997, he went with his wife to Canada. He managed to get Canadian citizenship in 2001 and set up an immigration firm called ‘First World Immigration Services’ at Chicago. He was in the process of opening its branches in a few Canadian and U.S. cities.
D.G.,on the other hand, came in touch with leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in Pakistan and even visited their camps in 2002 and 2003. He changed his name to David Coleman Headley (DCH) in 2006 during his stay in Philadelphia. He met THR after many years in Chicago in 2006. First India office of Immigration firm of THR was thus opened in Mumbai as a cover up operation.A plan was worked out according to which DCH undertook five visits to Mumbai between 2006 and 2008. Not only reconnaissance but extensive surveillance followed. Photos and videos taken during visits were shared with LeT & possibly I.S.I. His last visit was interestingly by sea route.Details of this route were explained by DCH to Pak mentors.
FOILED ATTACK ON DANISH NEWSPAPER
In the meanwhile, DCH developed interest in a Denmark newspaper which had published a defamatory cartoon on Prophet Muhammed. Between January and February 2009, say after 2 months of their Mumbai attack, he along with THR planned an attack on their office. Once again, after a visit to this office, photos and videos were taken.It appears Danish authorities got in touch with Americans and thus the attempt of duo was foiled in August, 2009.
On October 18, 2009, both of them were arrested by the F.B.I. and taken to the U.S.A. It appears that both DCH and T.H.R. confessed to their terrorist designs, following which they were sentenced.DCH pleaded guilty as well.
T.H.R .’s EXTRADITION TO INDIA
As we are aware, THR, has been extradited to India from Los Angeles after sustained initiatives taken by agencies of Government of India (GoI). He has been charged with criminal conspiracy, waging war against India, murder and forgery.
Pakistan has obviously distanced itself from THR as he had failed to renew his documents.In addition, Pakistan does not allow dual citizenship to its migrants to Canada.
Israel, which lost six of its nationals in Mumbai in 2008, appears encouraged to note this notable and long over due extradition.
3 HORRIFYING DAYS
Each time anything concerning 26/11 attack comes to notice, one is reminded of three black days- 26 to 28 November 2008, when only ten dare devil terrorists of LeT & HUJI had “overtaken” India’s financial & film capital and created a mayhem at C.S.RailwayTerminus, Hotel Taj Mahal, Hotel Trident, Leonard Cafe, Cama Hospital and an Israeli centre.
Not less than 166 innocent persons were brutally killed and 238 were injured apart from tremendous loss of property. It is but natural that relatives of the dead and survivors are rejoicing and looking forward to the conviction of THR.
Horrors of this tragedy are likely to haunt the relatives of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the nation.
U.S.A.’s INTEREST
THR was arrested along with DCH in Chicago on 18 October, 2009 which culminated into a long, arduous trial. U.S.A. Government evinced interest, as six of their citizens too had been killed mercilessly in the attack on Taj Mahal Hotel.
A good deal of concerted effort was made by GoI to get THR for more than a decade.It was culmination of serious diplomatic, legal and intelligence initiatives. We may note that unlike deportation, extradition is a long drawn legal process and complicated exercise. It gets more clumsy when there is no extradition treaty between requesting and requested countries.
Deportation on the other hand is formal removal of a person whose initial entry was illegal (the most common reason for deportation is violation of immigration laws).
THR’s EXTRADITION ORDER
Extradition of THR was ordered by Central District Court of California on May 16, 2023 but he was finally extradited on April 10,2025, after having exhausted all legal formalities.
It’s a major breakthrough for India if we are to remember 60 horrifying hours of Mumbai.
Now that we have got THR, we must attempt seriously to extradite the likes of Hafiz Saeed (head of LeT), Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, Major Iqbal, Samir Ali and Sajid Majid also, Pak citizens or those enjoying safe sanctuary in Pakistan.
RECONNAISSANCE TOURS
After managing a multi entry Indian visa with the help of THR, DCH had visited Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Goa and 3 other places. He had the audacity to visit India after 26/11 attacks in March 2009. Very sad, daring and shocking. How did it happen ?
THR, on the other hand, visited India with wife(also a Doctor) from November 13 to 21, 2008. Places in his itinerary were:Hapur, Delhi, Agra, Cochin, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. There is every possibility of visit of other ISI agents also as ethnic similarity between Indians & Pakistanis facilitates such preparation trials.
INTERCEPTED CONVERSATIONS
Intercepted conversations between DCH & THR has revealed that latter had said “Indians deserved it”. After interrogation of three days by National Investigation Agency (NIA), it has been decided to take sample of THR’s voice to match the same with the recordings of conversations between “two friends” on the eve of gory incident.
However, one has doubts if voice recorded in 2008 will match with recording to be done.Its a difference of 17 years. Moreover, if the claims of THR prove true, his suffering from Parkinson disease may become an obstacle.
FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER MAY HELP
A suggestion to be noted by interrogating officers is that both the conspirators should be made to face each other through video conferencing. Thus their reactions and additional information pertaining to conspiracy may be divulged / extracted.
THR has been placed in a highly secured cell of the NIA office, guarded round the clock. He will be interrogated further by teams of sleuths of NIA & Intelligence Bureau (I.B.) over the next 10 to 12 days of NIA remand. Next course of interrogation is slated to be in Mumbai, the “Ground Zero”. In fact, less time needs to be devoted to the interrogation process in Delhi.
TO RECAPITULATE
On January 7, 2013, THR was sentenced to 168 months in prison by a Chicago Court. But how was he found fit to be acquitted, that too on compassionate grounds on June 9, 2020 ? This needs to be probed.Further, when his extradition case came up, he questioned it on grounds of “double jeopardy”. On the same charges, can he be tried ?
On May 16, 2023 his plea against extradition was rejected. Then he filed a petition in Central District Court of California, followed by a plea before U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected it on January 21, 2025.
TO CONCLUDE
As Pakistan has not reconciled itself to living with India as a peaceful neighbour, it keeps creating challenges to India’s internal security set up. State sponsored terrorism has become Pakistan’s bread and butter. Thus, T.H.Rana and D.C. Headley may be part of a larger conspiracy against India. It may require an in depth analysis.
One may ask Why was David Headley kept in an U.S. prison after pleading guilty but THR was extradited to India?
U.S.A. took a long time to try and convict T.H.R. Arrest in 2009 and conviction in 2023, how does one explain such a delay ? Coming to his extradition, again wide time gap was noticed between its approval in May 2023 and confirmation by the U.S. President on February 13, 2025.
Now that THR has been brought, his trial has to be expedited as he along with DCH was key mastermind / conspirator of 26/11 episode.
The Extradition Treaty with the U.S.A. was signed in 1997 but very few fugitives have been extradited so far. Will the Government be interested in their extradition ? Also shouldn’t we seriously take up cases of Vijay Malya, NiraV Mody and Mehul Choksi ?
(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim)
