The U.S. has greenlit the extradition of a suspect connected to the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, which killed more than 160 people, President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday during a news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The deadly three-day assault on hotels, a train station and a Jewish center began on Nov. 26, 2008, resulting in 166 fatalities.
India accuses the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba of orchestrating the attacks, a claim the Pakistani government denies.
“I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world, related to the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going to be going back to India to face justice,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Trump did not name the individual during the news conference, but a joint statement from the two sides later identified him as Pakistani-descent Chicago businessperson and Canadian citizen Tahawwur Rana.
The joint India-U.S. statement also called on India’s neighbor, Pakistan, to bring to justice those accused of extremist attacks against India and prevent its territory from being used for extremism. Pakistan’s government denies supporting extremist activities.
Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Rana’s petition for review against his extradition.
Rana had previously been sentenced to U.S. federal prison for providing support to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Trump was also asked during the news conference about Sikh separatists in the U.S., whom India considers security threats. Sikh separatists are demanding an independent homeland, Khalistan, to be carved out of India.
Trump did not respond directly to the question but said India and the U.S. work together on crime.
Since 2023, India’s alleged targeting of Sikh separatists in the U.S. and Canada has emerged as a complicating factor in U.S.-India ties, with Washington charging a former Indian intelligence officer in a foiled U.S. plot.
India says it is probing U.S. allegations.
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