PAKISTANI-CANADIAN BUSINESSMEN TAHAWWUR HUSIAN RANA & MUMBAI CASE

Pakistani-Canadian businessmen Rana

Acquitted in 26-11-2008 attack in Mumbai case

Tahawwur Husian Rana

          Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Husain Rana, charged with facilitating the November 2008 attack in Mumbai, has been convicted of providing material support to the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as conspiring to stage a terrorist strike against Copenhagen. Rana was, however, acquitted of charges that he played a direct role in the Mumbai attack. The 50-year-old Chicago resident now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in jail, the United States Department of Justice said in a press release. Prosecutors had charged Rana with three terror-related crimes: participating in a conspiracy to provide material support to terror in India; conspiring to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark; and providing material support to the Lashkar.

       Rana had, the prosecutors said, conspired with Lashkar intelligence operative David Headley “to provide personnel, tangible property, money, and false documentation and identification, and to conceal and disguise the nature of such support to those who planned and carried out the Mumbai attacks.”Even though juries in the United States do not have to provide reasons for their decisions, the 12 women and men who ruled on Rana's case appear to have been unconvinced by Headley's testimony that he discussed plans to attack Mumbai with his childhood friend. Lawyers for Rana pointed out that the businessman was in Mumbai with his children and wife just days before the attack —evidence apparently inexplicable if he had prior knowledge of the strike.

     However, a mass of evidence — including e-mail and intercepted conversations — showed that Rana was aware of, and willing to support, Headley's operations on behalf of the Lashkar and Pakistan's intelligence services. Rana's lawyer Patrick Blegan said the defence would appeal the judgment. He insisted that his client was not guilty. “The jury came to another decision. We respect their decision, but we think they got it wrong,” he said.

    Pakistani-Canadian businessmen Rana’s conviction on charges of providing material support for the Lashkar e- Taiba marks a small step towards justice for the 164 men, women and children whose lives were taken in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Twelve-member jury of U.S to acquit Rana of having played a direct role in facilitating the attack. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed that the Chicago verdict” disgraced India’s sovereignty” the wounds the country suffered in the tragedy will take a long, long time to heal.

  Evidence directly connecting Rana to the massacre in Mumbai Pakistani-American Jihadist David Headley, who carried out reconnaissance in Mumbai for the Lashkar under the cover of Rana’s immigration business, said he had informed his associate of his plans in advance

                                                               Prof. John Kurakar