FBI gets time till Jan 14 to indict Rana
November 18th, 2009 - 7:31 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Nov 18 (IANS) A Chicago court has given federal prosecutors time till Jan 14 to seek indictment of Tahawwur Hussain Rana on charges of plotting major terrorist attacks in India and Denmark at the behest of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taeba (LeT).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had sought 58 days extension to file an indictment against Rana, a Chicago resident of Pakistani-origin who was arrested last month among with his schoolmate David Coleman Headley.
A Canadian national, Rana had made several trips to India over the last several years with Headley, a Pakistan born American national, for allegedly plotting a major terrorist attack in India.
Heeding the request of the US Attorney Patrick J Fitzgerald, Chief judge James F Holderman of the US district court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Tuesday extended the time to file the indictment against Rana till Jan 14.
Rana is scheduled to be produced before court Nov 19 when his bail plea comes up for hearing.
Earlier on Oct 30, the court had granted the government’s unopposed motion extending the time by which the government must seek an indictment against 49-year-old Headley until Jan 1, 2010.
Moving the motion seeking extension of time, the US attorney said the federal prosecutors need more time to complete the investigation. Investigations include the interception of numerous telephone and email communications, many of which were in a foreign language, he said.
“On October 18, federal agents executed four search warrants at four separate locations and, among other items of evidence, seized a number of computers. Agents are diligently examining the evidence, including that contained in the seized computers,” it said.
“Details concerning the investigation and the volume and types of evidence recovered during this investigation are stated in the Attachment hereto, which the government respectfully requests be placed under seal.
“The government is requesting that this Attachment be sealed so as not to compromise the continuing investigation,” the US attorney said.
“Additionally, further investigation regarding the full scope of the two defendants’ activities is ongoing and includes gaining assistance from foreign authorities,” it said.
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Tags: bail plea, chief judge, david coleman, email communications, federal bureau of investigation, federal prosecutors, holderman, investigation fbi, judge james, last several years, northern district of illinois, pakistani origin, patrick j fitzgerald, schoolmate, search warrants, terrorist attack in india, terrorist attacks in india, types of evidence, unopposed motion, us district court northern district of illinois
