New Delhi:
More than 15 years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, anti-terror agency NIA is now zeroing in on an elusive figure who allegedly met Tahawwur Rana, one of the key accused, in Dubai before the carnage. According to NIA sources, this person knew about the attack.
Rana, a 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman and confidant of convicted 26/11 plotter David Coleman Headley, is now under high-security NIA custody in New Delhi, following his long-awaited extradition from the United States. His questioning, NIA officials believe, could finally unravel the ‘Dubai connection’ to one of the worst terrorist attacks in India’s history.
The Man in Dubai
Who was the man that Rana met in Dubai before the Mumbai siege began: This individual, according to records shared by US investigative agencies with Indian authorities, knew about the impending attack. The NIA has confirmed that it is investigating the identity and role of this individual.
READ | In Tahawwur Rana Probe, An ISI Link, And Two Names: Major Iqbal, Sameer Ali
According to NIA sources, Headley – also known as Daood Gilani – had explicitly warned Rana in 2008 not to travel to India, hinting at imminent terrorist operations. Headley allegedly arranged for Rana to meet a co-conspirator in Dubai who confirmed the attack was imminent.
According to NIA sources, authorities are probing whether this individual was associated with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, a senior figure within the Pakistani Army, or a leader of a designated terror group operating from Pakistan.
For the NIA, the most intriguing element is that this individual’s identity has been kept under wraps even within elite counter-terror networks. The agencies believe that Rana may have referred to him in earlier questioning by US authorities, whose classified reports are now in Indian hands.
The Suspicious Lease
Another line of questioning revolves around a decision made by Rana and Headley in November 2008: neither renewed the lease of an office in Mumbai operated under the guise of Rana’s immigration consultancy. This office was reportedly used as a cover by Headley to conduct reconnaissance of potential targets, including key hotels and public sites in the city.
READ | Fresh Images Show Tahawwur Rana Being Handed Over To Indian Officers
According to a previous NIA investigation, in August 2005, Headley had reportedly informed Rana about Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) plan to send him to India to conduct reconnaissance under the guise of working for Rana’s firm. Headley suggested that Rana’s immigration business would be a suitable front to mask the activities, with Headley posing as a consultant.
Headley’s westernised appearance and US passport allowed him to move freely, surveying Mumbai’s elite landmarks, video recording them, and sending the data back to his handlers in Pakistan.
Multiple Indian Cities May Have Been Targets
According to NIA sources, the tactics used in Mumbai may have been part of a broader design to launch similar attacks in other Indian cities. As part of this inquiry, Rana’s travel records are being examined closely.
Between November 13 and 21 in 2008, Rana visited multiple Indian cities with his wife, Samraz Rana Akhtar. The cities include Hapur and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. Authorities are investigating whether these trips were part of a reconnaissance mission to carry out similar attacks.
The Network
During earlier stages of the investigation, the NIA named several individuals believed to be part of the broader conspiracy. These include Hafiz Saeed, founder of LeT; Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, operational commander of LeT; Sajjid Majid; Illyas Kashmiri; and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, also known as Major Abdurrehman or Pasha.
The agency also alleged that these men worked in tandem with ISI officials, including individuals identified as Major Iqbal alias Major Ali and Major Sameer Ali alias Major Samir. All are suspected of playing roles in the planning, funding, and logistical execution of the Mumbai attack.
Rana and Headley attended military school together in Pakistan and later partnered in the immigration consultancy business, which authorities allege was used as a cover for terror operations.
High-Security Custody
Rana is being held in a fortified cell at the NIA headquarters in the CGO complex, Delhi. Armed CRPF and Delhi Police personnel guard the outer perimeter. Inside, there is round-the-clock surveillance.
Every 24 hours, a medical examination is conducted. Rana is allowed to meet his legal counsel on alternate days – but only under supervision, and only with a soft-tip pen.
READ | 14×14 Feet Cell, 24-Hour Surveillance: How Tahawwur Rana Is Being Held
The current Director General of NIA, Sadanand Vasant Date, was a senior police officer injured in the line of duty during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Mr Date had engaged attackers Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at the Cama Hospital and received serious injuries.
