Tahawwur Rana Wanted Pakistan’s Highest Honour for Lashkar Terrorists, Claimed ‘Indians Deserved It’: US

In a statement, the US Department of Justice has revealed that co-conspirator in the Mumbai terror attacks, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who has been brought back to India, wanted the killers of nine Lashkar terrorists during the 2008 siege to be bestowed Pakistan's highest gallantry award.

According to the US authorities, an intercepted conversation between Mr. Rana and David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, the main accused in the Mumbai terror attacks, was also recorded while interrogating Rana in connection with the 2008 attacks. In that conversation, Rana commended the nine who died for their cause, wishing they could have been awarded 'Nishan-e-Haider,' which is Pakistan's highest award for gallantry in battle, awarded to fallen soldiers.

The US quoted Rana as saying, “[t]hey should be given Nishan-e-Haider”.

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‘Indians deserved it’

After the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which killed 166 people, including six Americans, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians "deserved it," said the US Department of Justice.

2008 terror attacks

On November 26, 2008, until November 29, 2008, ten terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), designated a foreign terrorist organization, had entered Mumbai by sea and launched an assault involving twelve coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city.

The attacks carried out by the terrorists consisted of firing guns and throwing grenades at the train station, shooting people at the two restaurants, killing people at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, and shooting people at a Jewish community center.

Mumbai sustained property damage worth above $1.5 billion in addition to the loss of 166 victims.

Of the 10, nine terrorists were killed during the attacks except for Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged to death at Pune in 2012.

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Tahawwur Rana in NIA custody

In an 18-day custody of the NIA (National Investigation Agency), he was allowed to enter India on Thursday and was produced in the special NIA court on the same day, albeit the NIA had initially requested custody for 20 days.

Released photographs show the US officials delivering a handcuffed Rana to Indian officials.

Rana shall be interrogated in India regarding his role in the 2008 terrorist attack. He is believed to be a close associate of Daood Gilani, the number one suspect for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

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