The NIA dossier accessed by India Today TV reveals damning details of the close and continuous coordination between Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, both of whom played crucial roles in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead.
Headley, acting on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—a UN-designated terrorist organization—was tasked with conducting surveillance in India to facilitate the attacks. He made eight visits to India, during which he was in regular contact with Rana, calling him a total of 231 times, a clear indication of how deeply involved Rana was in the plot.
Here are the expanded key points based on the dossier:
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Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin and a former Pakistani Army doctor, was not just passively helping; he actively facilitated Headley’s mission by providing him with logistical support, finances, visa assistance, and a legitimate business front through his immigration firm "First World International."
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On September 14, 2006, during Headley’s first visit, he called Rana 32 times, and similar patterns of high-volume communication continued across subsequent visits—23 calls during his second, 40 during the third, 37 during the fifth, 33 during the sixth, and a whopping 66 calls during the eighth.
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Rana also personally visited India just days before the 26/11 attacks, from November 13 to 21, 2008, touring multiple cities, including Mumbai, where the attacks later took place. His trip was not casual; it was reportedly pre-planned in consultation with LeT operatives.
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The dossier states that LeT founder Hafiz Saeed ordered Headley to conduct recces in India and to do so with Rana’s help to maintain a business-travel cover story and avoid detection. Rana’s immigration business was instrumental in procuring a 10-year multi-entry visa for Headley.
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Headley, in turn, reassured Rana that any risk he took could be mitigated through support from ISI’s Major Iqbal, underscoring the suspected Pakistani state complicity in the attacks.
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The pair used coded emails, multiple aliases, and covert digital communication channels to discuss reconnaissance plans, target selection, logistics, and updates.
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Notably, Headley provided Rana with a list of personal belongings and assets before one of his India trips, anticipating potential arrest or complications—a sign of how deep they were into the plot.
Rana’s extradition to India, as confirmed by US officials following approval by President Trump during his term, is scheduled for tomorrow morning, where he will face trial under Indian anti-terror laws. His arrival is expected to be a major breakthrough in the 26/11 investigation.
This case underlines the intricate and deeply coordinated planning behind the Mumbai attacks, involving global networks, state-level support, and a blend of terrorist, espionage, and criminal elements.
