U.S. Biden Administration Urges Court to Deny Rana's Writ of Habeas Corpus, Reiterates Extradition to India

 The Biden administration has urged the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to deny the writ of habeas corpus filed by Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, and reiterated that he be extradited to India where he is sought for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.Last month, Rana had filed the writ challenging a court order which approved the U.S. government's request for his extradition.

In May, the court had approved Rana's extradition to India. On June 10, 2020, India had filed a complaint seeking his provisional arrest with a view towards extradition, which was supported and approved by the Biden Administration.

Opposing Rana's petition, E. Martin Estrada, U.S. attorney for Central District of California, said the petitioner is unable to demonstrate that India's extradition request lacks sufficient evidence of probable cause.

He argued that the evidence does not support the assertion that Rana's business in Mumbai conducted legitimate business, and that Rana's claims about who funded the Mumbai office also do not relate to whether he lacked knowledge of and support for the activities of his childhood friend David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Estrada also said that the fact that Rana received a warning before the attacks does not preclude a finding of probable cause, and Rana's claim that he did not review Headley's visa application is not supported by the evidence.

A total of 166 people were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is now probing Rana's role in the attacks and is ready to initiate proceedings to bring him to India through diplomatic channels.

The U.S. attorney has requested the court to deny Rana's petition for a writ of habeas corpus, deny extradition and order his release.