US Supreme Court rejects 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana's last plea against extradition to India

This move brings him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice.

A Canadian national of Pakistani origin, Rana had earlier filed an "emergency application for stay" with an Associate Judge of the US Supreme Court and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit.

Rana had claimed he would be tortured in India as he is a Muslim of Pakistani origin.

He argued that his extradition would pose a severe health risk.

However, his petition was denied by the US Supreme Court last month too.

Rana, a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, is accused of facilitating the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 dead.

Headley, who turned approver, testified in a US court that Rana helped him conduct reconnaissance of key targets in Mumbai between 2007 and 2008.

Though Rana was acquitted in the US in 2011 of direct involvement in the 26/11 attacks, he was convicted of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba and aiding a terror plot in Denmark.

About 26/11

The 2008 Mumbai attacks also referred to as 26/11 were a series of terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai.

Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai Chabad House, The Oberoi Trident, The Taj Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, The Nariman House, the Metro Cinema, and in a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College.

There was also an explosion at Mazagaon, in Mumbai's port area, and a taxi at Vile Parle.

By the early morning of November 28, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by the Mumbai Police and security forces.

On November 29, India's National Security Guards (NSG) conducted Operation Black Tornado to flush out the remaining attackers; it culminated in the death of the last remaining attackers at the Taj Hotel and ended the attacks.

The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, began on November 26 and lasted until November 29, 2008. At least 174 people died, including 9 attackers, and more than 300 were wounded.