Washington/New Delhi, Feb 14 (UNI) US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition to India of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks plotter Tahawwur Rana even as he said that the relationship with India and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has never been better”.
Addressing a press conference at the White House after talks with PM Modi, the US President said:
“Today 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, having to do with the horrific 26/11/2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, to face justice in India. So, he’s going back to India to face justice.”
Asked if he would take action against Khalistani separatists and anti-India elements in the US, with known Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun staying in the US, President Trump didn’t answer the question directly.
He said: “I don’t think India had a very good relationship with the Biden administration. They would not sell them oil and gas, which I find very hard to believe, and lot of things happened which were not very appropriate I thought, between India and the Biden administration.
“But we are giving what seems to me a very violent man, we are giving him back to India immediately, and there will be more to follow as there are more required.
“So we work with India on crime and we want to make it good for India, so that kind of a relationship is very important for us,” he added.
PM Modi in his address thanked President Trump for approving the extradition of Rana to India.
“I am thankful to the President that he has decided to hand over the culprit who committed the killings in India in 2008, to India now. Indian courts will now take appropriate action.”
Last month, the US Supreme Court cleared the extradition of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana to India.
A Pakistan origin Canadian national, Rana was close to Pakistani American terrorist David Headley, who had recced the sites in Mumbai for the attack.
He faces charges for his role in the Mumbai attacks. He is currently lodged in a jail in Los Angeles.
A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations of Mumbai.
UNI RN
