Tahawwur Rana told his childhood friend that '26/11 attackers deserved Pakistan's gallantry award': US Justice dept

NIA officials with Tahawwur Rana after his arrest in Delhi on April 10. (Courtesy: NIA)

An official release from the US Department of Justice has revealed that soon after Mumbai was rocked with the terror attacks in November 2008, Tahawwur Rana allegedly told his childhood friend David Coleman Headley (Headley) that the terrorists should be given ‘Nishan-e-Haider‘ – Pakistan’s highest award for gallantry in battle, reported News18.

As per the document, Tahawwur Rana, who was extradited to India by the United States, also told Headley that “Indians deserved it".

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David Coleman Headley conducted reconnaissance on targets in Mumbai under the direction of Pakistan-based terrorist organizations.

According to a document, after the attacks were completed, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians “deserved it.”

The document also details an intercepted conversation in which Rana praised the nine terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who were killed during the attacks, suggesting they “should be given Nishan-e-Haider” —Pakistan’s highest award for gallantry in battle, reserved for fallen soldiers.

Rana, 64, faces numerous charges in India, including conspiracy, murder, committing a terrorist act, and forgery due to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks carried out by LeT, a foreign terrorist organization.

From November 26 to 29, 2008, ten LeT terrorists executed a series of twelve coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai. They infiltrated the city by sea and then divided into teams, targeting multiple locations. At a train station, some attackers fired guns and threw grenades into crowds. Others shot indiscriminately at patrons in two restaurants and gunned down individuals at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where explosives were also detonated. Additionally, attackers shot and killed people at a Jewish community center.

In total, the attacks resulted in 166 deaths, including six Americans, while all but one of the LeT terrorists were killed. Hundreds more were injured, and Mumbai suffered over $1.5 billion in property damage. These attacks are considered some of the most horrific in India's history, according to the US document.

India alleges that Rana facilitated a fraudulent cover for his childhood friend, David Coleman Headley (born Daood Gilani), allowing him to travel freely to Mumbai to conduct surveillance on potential attack sites for LeT.

Furthermore, Rana allegedly agreed to open a Mumbai branch of his immigration business and appointed Headley as the manager of that office, despite Headley’s lack of immigration experience. On two separate occasions, he is accused of helping Headley prepare and submit visa applications to Indian authorities that contained false information.

The document also states that Rana allegedly provided documentation through his unsuspecting business partner to support Headley’s attempts to secure formal approval from Indian authorities to open a branch office of Rana’s business.