"Getting someone extradited from America is not easy": Delhi BJP legal cell chief Anil Soni on Tahawwur Rana's extradition

New Delhi [India], April 11 (ANI): Lauding the efforts of the Union government over the extradition of the 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana, Delhi BJP Legal Cell incharge Anil Soni on Friday said that the first step has been taken towards getting justice for the 166 people who died in the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.
Calling it a "great victory" for the Modi government, Anil Soni said that getting someone extradited from America is not an easy task and expressed hope that the remaining perpetrators involved in the attacks will be extradited soon following the interrogation of Tahawwur Rana.
"It's a great victory for Mr Modi's government, which has tried and went ahead, followed up, and made personal contacts with the American President. Mr Modi has got this victory. This is the first step towards getting justice for the 150-odd people who died in the Mumbai attacks. He is one of the masterminds who has been extradited. We hope to get more people out; after his interrogation, we might get more people who are masterminds of this attack to be extradited to India and brought to justice," Anil Soni told ANI.
He further mentioned that following the 9/11 attacks, America changed its stance towards terrorism, and now the whole world is standing with India on this issue.
"Till the Twin Towers (9/11 attack) did not happen in America, no one took us seriously on the grounds of terrorism. They thought it was a Jammu and Kashmir problem which according to them was an internal issue. But now today, all the world, America and developed countries stand with us against terrorism...We are sharing our intelligence with each other," he said.
Soni further highlighted that Pakistan tried to leverage the "irresponsible" remarks made by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh over the 26/11 attacks on international forums.
"When 26/11 happened, Digvijaya Singh, a prominent leader of Congress party which was in the government made irresponsible statements, saying that it was the Hindu extremists who plotted this gruesome attack and it was not the outsiders. This issue was raised by Pakistan in international courts and organisations, and they said that they had nothing to do with it. Today, with the Modi government pursuing this matter, we have given sufficient evidence to the Americans so that we could extradite this man," said Delhi BJP legal cell chief.
He further expressed hope that a speedy trial will take place in the case of Tahawwur Rana and that justice will be delivered to the victims of the 26/11 attacks.
"It is a great victory, the world is looking at us. Getting someone extradited from America is not a very easy task, we have given enough evidence to the Americans, so I hope the Indian Govt and judicial system itself will give importance to this case and will like to finish the case on day-to-day basis and give a hearing and bring everyone to justice in this matter as early as possible," Anil Soni said.
Rana, 64, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, was extradited to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the DoJ statement said.
He is charged with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks by Laskhar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), a designated terrorist organization.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) successfully secured Rana's extradition after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem to justice.
Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty for his extradition. The extradition finally came through after Rana had exhausted all legal avenues to stay on the move. He was brought to India on April 10 and produced before an NIA court, where he was sent to 18 days of custody. (ANI)