NIA begins questioning 26/11 attack key conspirator Tahawwur Rana

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday started questioning 26/11 attack key conspirator Tahawwur Rana, hours after a court allowed 18-day custodial interrogation following investigators claiming that the Pakistani-origin Canadian national could have plans for terror attacks similar to the Mumbai strike in other Indian cities.

Early Friday morning, a special NIA court granted the agency custody of Rana, who was extradited from the United States a day before. The NIA has to conduct Rana's medical examination every day and allow him to meet his lawyer on alternate days.

Rana is accused of conspiring with prime accused David Coleman Headley and operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators  to carry out the terror strike in Mumbai.

The NIA told the court that Rana's custody was required to unravel "deeper layers" of the conspiracy that led to Mumbai terror strike on 26 November, 2008, which claimed 166 lives and left 238 injured. The agency suspects that tactics similar to Mumbai attacks were planned for other cities as well, the NIA is learnt to have told the court.

The NIA sought 20 days custody, but the court granted only 18 days.

Rana is lodged at the NIA headquarters, where security has been stepped up with additional police and paramilitary force personnel being deployed. After the court announced his custody around 1 am, Rana was taken to NIA headquarters after 1 AM on Friday in a heavily-secured motorcade comprising Delhi Police's SWAT and other security personnel.

According to the NIA, Headley had discussed the Mumbai attack details with Rana before his visit to India. Headley informed Rana through email the details of his belongings and assets.

The agency also claims that Headley had informed Rana about the involvement of Pakistani nationals Ilyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman.

While India finally managed to extradite Rana, it has not been successful to get hold of Headley as he has entered into a plea agreement after he pleaded guilty. Rana had not accepted guilt.

It was Headley's testimony that pinned Rana's involvement in the Mumbai attacks. Headley had told the court through a video conference that he regularly briefed Rana about the progress in the plot. 

In 2006, Headley had obtained approval from Rana, who owned First World Immigration Services in Chicago and elsewhere, to open a First World office in Mumbai as cover for his activities. Rana allegedly agreed to open a Mumbai branch of his immigration business and appoint Headley as the manager of the office, despite Headley’s having no immigration experience. 

On two separate occasions, a US statement said, Rana allegedly helped Headley prepare and submit visa applications to Indian authorities that contained information Rana knew to be false.