Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has reportedly made startling confessions during interrogation, according to sources cited by India Today TV. Currently in NIA custody at Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Rana is said to have:
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Admitted he was in Mumbai during the 2008 attacks, and that his presence was part of the terrorists’ broader plan.
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Claimed he was a trusted agent of the Pakistani Army and had long-standing connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
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Stated that he and David Coleman Headley underwent multiple training sessions with LeT in Pakistan.
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Disclosed that the decision to open an immigration centre in Mumbai under the name of his US-based firm was his own idea, and that financial transactions were disguised as business expenses to provide cover.
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Said he surveyed key locations like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST)—one of the primary targets of the attacks.
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Claimed he was sent by the Pakistani Army to Saudi Arabia during the Khaleej (Gulf) War, indicating deeper and older ties to Pakistani military operations.
Based on these revelations, Mumbai Police is now preparing to arrest Rana and seek his custody. His statements, if corroborated, further implicate Pakistani state agencies in the planning and execution of 26/11—a charge India has long maintained.
Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian, was extradited to India in May 2025 after the US Supreme Court rejected his final appeal. He faces multiple charges including conspiracy, murder, terrorist activities, and forgery. His judicial custody has been extended by a Delhi court till July 9.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks, which lasted nearly 60 hours, were orchestrated by 10 LeT terrorists and resulted in 166 deaths. The attacks targeted iconic sites including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, Nariman House, and CST station. Rana’s confession could provide new legal and geopolitical dimensions to the case, especially in the context of India-Pakistan relations and international counter-terrorism cooperation.
