US Supreme Court approves extradition of Mumbai attack convict
What's the story
The US Supreme Court has cleared the extradition of Canadian-Pakistani national Tahawwur Rana to India. Rana is accused in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. The court's decision came after it dismissed a review petition against his conviction, which was Rana's last legal option to escape extradition. Previously, he had lost legal battles in multiple federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals for the North Circuit in San Francisco.
Appeal denied
Supreme Court denies Rana's final legal appeal
Tahawwur Rana had filed a "petition for a writ of certiorari" to the US Supreme Court on November 13, seeking a review of his case. However, the top court denied the petition on January 21, simply stating "Petition DENIED." The denial came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States. This ended Rana's legal options to evade extradition to India.
Charges detailed
Rana faces charges for role in Mumbai attacks
Currently lodged at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, Tahawwur Rana faces charges for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He is associated with David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist and the key conspirator of the attack. The Mumbai terror attacks killed 166 people, including six Americans, and were executed by 10 Pakistani terrorists who besieged key places in the city for more than 60 hours.