With the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States a success, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) will start his interrogation on Friday, April 11, regarding his suspected involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Rana, who is suspected to be one of the main conspirators in the 26/11 attacks, was arrested by the NIA on Thursday night following orders passed by a Special Court in New Delhi. A senior official said questioning at the NIA headquarters would start at about 10 a.m.
Sources say that Rana will be questioned on a number of fronts — ranging from his reported association with David Coleman Headley to his alleged links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the itineraries of his visits to India and contacts established during those visits. The agency wishes his answers to uncover more extensive networks that may have orchestrated the attack.
The NIA has been given 18 days of custody to interrogate Rana.
In a statement released Friday, the agency stated, "The agency will question him at length to untangle the full conspiracy behind the fatal 2008 attacks, when a total of 166 people were killed and more than 238 injured."
The agency added that Rana's extradition was the outcome of years of tireless efforts and coordination, finally taking shape after his repeated legal moves to thwart the process were rejected by U.S. courts. He was brought in from Los Angeles to New Delhi on a special flight, with teams from the NIA and National Security Guard (NSG), including top officials.
With the combined efforts of India's Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the concerned authorities in the United States, the wanted terrorist's surrender warrant was finally obtained and the extradition was completed," said the NIA in its press statement issued on X (formerly Twitter).
In a recognition of the key role that American institutions have played, the NIA acknowledged the cooperation of such agencies as the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California during the extradition process.
This is a major milestone in India's continuing quest to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorism, wherever they try to seek shelter in the world," the statement added.
Read also| 26/11 Mastermind Tahawwur Rana Extradited from US, Arrested by NIA in India
