26/11 Conspirator Tahawwur Rana Exposes Role in Mumbai Attacks, Links to Headley

Extradited from the United States in April 2025, the 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian has provided critical insights into the planning of the 26/11 attacks, which claimed 166 lives. His confessions, reported on July 7, 2025, expose the depth of his involvement with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan’s ISI, marking a significant step toward justice for the victims.

Tahawwur Rana's Confessions

Rana admitted to assisting his childhood friend David Coleman Headley in scouting high-profile targets, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a central site of the 2008 carnage. He revealed that his immigration business in Mumbai was a front to facilitate Headley’s reconnaissance trips between 2005 and 2008. Their collaboration involved detailed surveillance of key locations like the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Nariman House, ensuring the LeT’s 60-hour siege was meticulously planned. 

Rana admits helping Headley

In a shocking admission, Rana disclosed his past as a trusted agent of the Pakistani army, including a deployment to Saudi Arabia during the Khaleej War. He claimed the 26/11 attacks were executed with direct coordination from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), implicating state-level involvement. Additionally, Rana confessed to attending LeT training camps in 2003–04 alongside Headley, where they honed skills for espionage and terror operations, further exposing the network’s reach.

Rana's shocking revealtions in NIA Custody

Rana’s revelations are a turning point for India’s investigation into the 26/11 attacks. Facing charges of conspiracy, murder, and terrorism, his confessions could uncover further details about LeT’s operations and ISI’s role. With his judicial custody extended until July 9, 2025, the NIA aims to extract more information to dismantle terror networks. Rana’s statements reaffirm India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable, bringing closure to a nation scarred by the tragedy.