26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana

NEW DELHI: 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s judicial custody was extended till September 8, according to a ruling by a Special NIA Court on Wednesday.Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, is a close associate of main 26/11 conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Dawood Gilani, an American citizen. He was extradited from the United States after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against the extradition.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) produced Rana via video conference after his earlier judicial custody, set to end on August 13, expired. The case is currently at the stage of document scrutiny following the agency’s filing of a supplementary chargesheet.On July 15, the court heard his application seeking a telephonic call with his family.Rana faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder, waging war against India, and planning terrorist acts under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA alleges his involvement with Headley, a key figure in the Mumbai attacks who is currently imprisoned in the US.Investigators believe Rana may provide information about reconnaissance visits to Indian cities before the attacks, his communication with Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, and possible links to leaders of LeT, Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami, and Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists carried out coordinated attacks on a railway station, two luxury hotels, and a Jewish centre in Mumbai after entering the city through the sea route. The nearly 60-hour assault killed 166 people, including foreigners, before it was ended by National Security Guard commandos. In May 2010, Ajmal Kasab, the only gunman captured alive, was convicted of waging war against India and other charges, and was hanged in November 2012.