Canadian, wanted for 2008 Mumbai attacks, arrives in India after US extradition
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A Pakistani-born Canadian businessman accused of helping to orchestrate the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, one of India's deadliest, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after the U.S. extradited him in the first such transfer in a terrorism case.
Tahawwur Rana, 64, a doctor-turned-businessman, was extradited in connection with the November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people.
"The National Investigation Agency on Thursday successfully secured the extradition...after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator...to justice," said NIA, India's anti-terror agency.
He was accompanied back by Indian security agencies after his petitions challenging the extradition were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rana's extradition is a "great success" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's diplomacy, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.
"It is the responsibility of the Indian government to bring back all those who have abused the land and people of India," he posted on X.
TRUMP ANNOUNCED TRANSFER
India formally sought Rana's custody in June 2020, and President Donald Trump announced Rana's transfer in February this year during a joint press conference with Modi in Washington.
Rana was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the U.S. in 2013 for providing support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani Islamist group that India says was responsible for the 2008 attacks.
"As far as our record indicates, he (Rana) did not even apply for renewal for his Pakistani-origin documents for the last two decades," Shafqat Ali Khan, a spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry, said at a media briefing on Thursday.
Rana's lawyer has said that Rana was a "good man and got sucked into something."
Over the course of three days in November 2008, ten heavily armed attackers targeted major landmarks across Mumbai, including two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and the main train station, killing 166 people.
India has said Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the U.S. State Department has designated a terrorist organisation, orchestrated the attacks. Pakistan denies supporting extremist activities.
Rana was also found guilty in June 2011 of conspiring to attack a Danish newspaper, a plot hatched by the militant group that was never carried out.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
China marks new export cars as 'used' to inflate sales, Reuters investigation says
-- China's automotive industry has been artificially boosting sales figures through a government-supported grey market that registers new vehicles as "used" for export purposes, according to a Reuters investigation published on Tuesday. These "zero-mileage" cars, which have never been driven, are reportedly being shipped to markets including Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East as used vehicles, allowing Chinese automakers to report growth while disposing of excess inventory that would be difficult to sell domestically. The practice gained national attention after the head of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor criticized the sale of zero-mileage used cars within China in May. On June 10, the People's Daily newspaper condemned the domestic sale of these vehicles, calling for "tough regulatory action" to restore market order amid an ongoing price war. While domestic sales of such vehicles face criticism, the export of zero-mileage used cars is actively encouraged by regional governments across China. Reuters claims it identified 20 local governments, including major export hubs like Guangdong and Sichuan, that have publicly documented their support for this practice. The process works by having exporters purchase cars directly from manufacturers or dealers as they leave the assembly line. The vehicles are registered with Chinese license plates and immediately classified as second-hand for export. This allows automakers to record the cars as sold and recognize the revenue. This practice helps local governments meet economic growth targets set by Beijing. Since export firms both purchase and sell each car, the transaction value is doubled compared to standard new or used car sales, artificially inflating GDP statistics. The tactic indicates that China's automotive industry, the world's largest, is allowing production to exceed demand, fueling the extended domestic price war and prompting accusations of automotive "dumping" in international markets. Related articles China marks new export cars as 'used' to inflate sales, Reuters investigation says SpaceX role in new defense system reportedly in question after Musk-Trump feud U.S. agencies monitored foreign visits to Elon Musk's properties, says WSJ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
California woman who masterminded hair-mogul husband's murder sentenced to life without parole
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who masterminded the killing of her husband, an internationally known hairdresser and beauty company executive, at their Los Angeles home eight years ago was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Monica Sementilli, 53, was convicted in April of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the 2017 stabbing death of Fabio Sementilli in their backyard in the upscale Woodlands Hills neighborhood. He was found by their daughter in a pool of blood with multiple wounds to his face, jawline, neck, chest and thigh. Prosecutors said Monica Sementilli conspired with her lover and former racquetball coach, Robert Baker, to kill her 49-year-old husband for a $1.6 million insurance policy. Baker, now 63, pleaded no contest in July 2023 to murder and conspiracy charges. He is serving life without the possibility of parole. Baker testified at her trial that the mother of two had nothing to do with the plot to kill her husband. 'I murdered him because I wanted her,' Baker told the court. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen rejected a defense bid to have Sementilli sentenced to 25 years to life, calling her the 'mastermind in this conspiracy to commit murder,' the Los Angeles Times reported. Coen said Baker, who carried out the attack, 'did not have the intelligence to plan the brutal, well-thought-out slaughter.' The Canadian-born Fabio Sementilli worked for decades as a trendsetting hair stylist and served as vice president of education for beauty products giant Coty Inc.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Children thrown to safety as explosion, fire rips through Garden Valley apartments
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Firefighters sprayed water and doused hotspots through the night at the scene of a massive apartment fire. An explosion Monday afternoon at the Garden Valley apartment complex sent tenants running for their lives. Authorities locate 60 'critically missing' children in Florida operation: U.S. Marshals Joniqua Bridget told us she had just left her sister's apartment when she heard the boom. 'My whole apartment shook, and I go outside to see what the big boom is, everybody is running up to me, asking me if my kids are safe, if my kids are good, if my kids are out of the apartment where my kids are at, because my sister's apartment just got blown up.' It was a terrifying few moments until she spotted them, outside and unharmed. She told us, 'That's the worst feeling anybody could go through,' she cried. 'I would never ever want to go through. I was just happy to see him.' The building has 44 units. Many of the victims made it out on their own. Some were trapped. Others were seen dropping small children out of windows to waiting hands below. Five people were seriously injured according to Cleveland Fire Department spokesman, Lt. Mike Norman. School employee charged with sending nude photos to teen: sheriff He said the fire required a massive response, 22 companies and 60 firefighters, to extinguish the flames. SkyFOX flew over the scene Tuesday morning to get a perspective of just how massive the fire was. Norman explained that their job was complicated by the roof design which included heavy solar panels and a common loft. 'That's the challenge with it. Once it got into that roof, underneath that roof, it ran the entire length of the building. So, it started on the south side, and we've got fire all the way to the north side.' On top of that these crews were hauling hoses, climbing ladders and battling flames in scorching summer heat. 'She has to fight it': Toddler contracts E. coli after visiting Oklahoma lake It's too early for a cause but some of the residents have their suspicions. Joniqua Bridge told us they smelled the strong odor of gas. 'It smelled all day,' she said. 'The whole time I was in the apartment, like it was smelling to the point where it started coming inside of my sister's apartment. If you open the door, I was telling the kids, stop opening that door. It smells bad in that hallway, close the door.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
