Mumbai terror suspect Rana to be arraigned May 4
April 27th, 2011 - 7:43 pm ICT by IANSChicago, April 27 (IANS) Pakistani Canadian terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana is set to be arraigned in a US district court here May 4 for his role in the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Rana, who owns First World Immigration service, is charged with providing material help to Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), blamed for the 26/11 attack, by giving the cover of his business to David Coleman Headley to scout targets in Mumbai.
Rana, who unlike Headley has not pleaded guilty, will have to appear in court May 4 for his arraignment for his trial set to start May 16, US District Judge Harry Leinenweber ruled Tuesday.
In a second superseding indictment, US prosecutors Monday charged four top Pakistani terrorists in the 26/11 terror attack that left 166 dead, including six Americans.
The new accused are: Sajid Mir, a handler in the LeT also known as ‘Wasi’, ‘Ibrahim’, and ‘Sajid Majeed’; Abu Qahafa; Mazhar Iqbal also known as ‘Abu Al Qama’; and a fourth defendant known only by the alias ‘Major Iqbal’.
An unnamed individual ‘Lashkar Member D’ was also mentioned. All are residents of Pakistan and none of them are in US custody.
Randall Samborn, spokesman for the US attorney’s office, said he would not comment on whether Headley provided the names of the new defendants or if US officials know where they are.
According to the indictment, Major Iqbal communicated with Headley by passing messages to him through Rana while Headley started scouting targets in or about July 2008, Son of a Pakistani father and an American mother, Headley had changed his given name of Daood Gilani two years before the attacks to hide his Pakistani origin.
Rana was indicted by a federal grand jury under 12 counts in February last year. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence.
Rana, who had served as a doctor in the Pakistani Army Medical Corps before he migrated to Canada, is also accused of plotting an attack with Headley on a Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that published cartoons of Prophet Muhammad.
- US charges 4 Pakistani terrorists in 26/11 Mumbai attack - Apr 26, 2011
- Mumbai attack: US charges four top Pakistani terrorists (Lead) - Apr 26, 2011
- US charges four Pakistanis as co-conspirators in 2008 Mumbai terror attacks - Apr 26, 2011
- 'US indictment of four Pakistanis in Mumbai attack significant' - Apr 27, 2011
- India monitoring Rana trial for ISI terror links (Lead) - May 16, 2011
- Rana trial jury yet to reach verdict - Jun 09, 2011
- Five 26/11 accused named in US court include ISI officer - May 09, 2011
- Headley, ISI handlers hatched a plot to assassinate Bal Thackeray (Second Lead) - May 25, 2011
- Mumbai terror suspect Rana's trial on May 16 - Apr 12, 2011
- Headley visited Indian n-plant, wanted Kashmir assignment (Lead) - May 26, 2011
- Headley visited n-power plant in India, reveal documents - May 26, 2011
- Headley, Rana were in direct touch with ISI handlers (Lead) - May 24, 2011
- Jury selection on in Mumbai terror trial in Chicago - May 17, 2011
- Jury selection continues in Mumbai terror trial in Chicago (Lead) - May 17, 2011
- 'Headley told LeT of landing sites for Mumbai attack' - May 24, 2011
Tags: al qama, american mother, army medical corps, arraignment, david coleman, district judge, federal grand jury, immigration service, lashkar e taiba, life sentence, majeed, mazhar, pakistani army, pakistani origin, pakistani terrorists, superseding indictment, terror attack, us district court, wasi, world immigration