New Delhi [India], April 10 : Former Israeli Ambassador to India, Mark Sofer on Thursday, praised Indian government efforts "for not giving up" on Tahawwur Rana, the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks stating that his extradition "sends a strong message to terrorists anywhere that India will never give up."
Speaking to ANI, Sofer said, "I have nothing but praise for the Indian authorities, the Indian government, for not giving up, for chasing the terrorists, more than 17 years down the line and for bringing them to justice."
"Almost 200 people or so that were massacred by the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LT) in 2008, they deserved justice. The families deserve justice. It was a trauma for Israel, but above all, it was a trauma for India...It sends a strong message to terrorists anywhere that we will never give up, that India will never give up. You will be held responsible for the attack," the former Israeli envoy to India said.
Higlighting the efforts of Israeli and Indian authorities in saving the lives of the hostages in the terror attack, Sofer said, "We worked very closely then with the Indian authorities in trying to save the lives of the hostages...It was a four or five-day horror that we all went through."
"Today is in many ways a historic or momentous occasion in the fact that people are being brought to trial and being extradited to India for the crimes that they committed even 17, 18 years ago"
The former envoy's comments came as the accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana is being brought to India for trial after US Supreme Court rejected Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India, exhausting all judicial options.
Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which over 160 people were killed.
On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition.
"The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated.
According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the attack. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case.
However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks.
"Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said.
Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings.
Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 160 people.
On November 26, 2008, 10 Lashker-e-Taliba terrorists targeted civilians in the southern part of Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Raliyway station, two hospitals, and a theatre.
The terrorists also held hostages at three locations- the Nariman House and the luxury hotels Oberoi Trident and Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. The terror gripped Mumbai for two days, and on November 28, Indian security forces gained control of the situation by killing nine terrorists and arresting one.
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