From Planning To Targets: What Tahawwur Rana Revealed About His Role In 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

Tahawwur Rana told investigators how he helped identify key 26/11 Mumbai attack targets. His confession reveals chilling links to Lashkar, ISI, and co-conspirator David Headley.

Tahawwur Rana Confesses Role in 26/11 Mumbai Attack Plot

Source : PTI

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key figure in the deadly 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has reportedly confessed to playing a pivotal role in helping plan the assault that claimed over 170 lives. Extradited to India after a prolonged diplomatic standoff, the 64-year-old is now sharing explosive insights into how the plot unfolded — and his part in making it happen.

Sources within the Mumbai Police Crime Branch have confirmed that during intense interrogation, Rana admitted to assisting David Coleman Headley, the chief planner behind the attacks, in scouting and identifying major targets across Mumbai. One of the most significant among them was the bustling Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

From Army Doctor to Terror Conspirator

Rana’s journey into the heart of the 26/11 conspiracy began long before the attacks. Back in 1986, he completed his MBBS from the Army Medical College in Rawalpindi and was commissioned as a Captain in the Pakistan Army’s medical corps. He served in sensitive regions including Sindh, Balochistan, Bahawalpur, and the high-altitude terrain of Siachen.

But things took a turn when he developed pulmonary edema—a dangerous buildup of fluid in the lungs—while posted in Siachen. His illness kept him away from duty, and he was eventually declared a deserter. Rana has claimed that Headley promised to help him clear his name in exchange for his cooperation in the terror plot.

Rana also disclosed that the Pakistani military trusted him enough to send him on a covert mission to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, highlighting his deep ties to the establishment. After leaving the army, Rana lived in several countries including Germany, the UK, and the US, before finally settling in Canada. There, he ventured into businesses ranging from meat processing to real estate and grocery stores.

A Dangerous Bond: Rana and Headley’s Shared Past

The seeds of this deadly partnership were sown decades earlier. Rana and Headley attended Cadet College Hasan Abdal together from 1974 to 1979. Headley, the son of a Pakistani diplomat and an American woman, moved to the US after falling out with his stepmother and began living with his biological mother.

According to Rana’s statements, Headley trained at three Lashkar-e-Taiba camps between 2003 and 2004. He described the terror outfit as operating more like a spy network than a purely ideological group — a description that sheds new light on the strategic nature of Lashkar's operations.

Setting the Stage: How Rana Enabled 26/11

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier revealed in its chargesheet that Headley had visited numerous Indian cities — including Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Pushkar, Goa, and Pune — under the cover of working for a company called the Immigrant Law Centre. Rana has now confirmed that the idea of setting up this front was his. The company was reportedly managed by a woman and served as a cover to facilitate surveillance and reconnaissance by the attackers.

Rana also admitted to being in Mumbai just days before the carnage began. He arrived in the city on November 20, 2008, and stayed at a hotel in Powai until the 21st, before leaving for Beijing via Dubai. His brief but crucial stay added another layer to the already complex web of planning behind the attack.

Chilling Evidence and Mounting Witness Testimony

In 2023, the Crime Branch filed a 405-page supplementary chargesheet that detailed Rana’s assistance to Headley in gathering intel on crowded public locations like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, which became one of the primary targets.

Investigators say that at least 14 witnesses have corroborated Rana’s involvement. When questioned about forged Indian documents used by the terrorists, Rana tried to shift blame onto the Indian Embassy. However, authorities found clear evidence that he directly aided Headley in entering India using fake identification.

Ties to Lashkar and Pakistan’s Military-Intelligence Nexus

Rana has also admitted to knowing several high-profile Pakistani nationals implicated in the 26/11 attacks — including Sajid Mir, Abdul Rehman Pasha, and Major Iqbal. All are alleged masterminds behind the scenes. Evidence suggests Rana was in active coordination with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s notorious spy agency.