Canada Moves to Revoke Citizenship of Pakistani-Canadian Accused of Mumbai Attacks

Ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India next month, Canada has moved to revoke the citizenship of Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani‑Canadian accused of playing a key role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, according to Global News. Carney isvisiting India in a bid to restore the India‑Canada relationship, which had plunged to its lowest point under his predecessor Justin Trudeau. He is also seeking to reach a trade deal with India amid a trade war with the United States. Rana is accused of facilitating the Mumbai terrorist attacks as part of Lashkar‑e‑Taiba’s (LeT) plot that was sponsored by Pakistan’s ISI spy agency. He has previously been convicted in the United States in a separate case for planning an attack on a newspaper office in Denmark. He wasextradited to Indialast year. Global News reported that Carney’s government has advanced proceedings to revoke Rana’s citizenship — proceedings that first began under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and later stalled under Trudeau’s government. In the Mumbai attacks, terrorists entered India via sea and struck multiple locations across Mumbai, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the Oberoi hotel, and the Jewish centre Chabad House. They killed 166 people and injured more than 200. The Canadian government has advanced proceedings to revoke Rana’s citizenship on the grounds that he obtained it fraudulently, according to Global News. This is the standard method in Canada for revoking the citizenship of terrorists, as a law passed by Trudeau bars the government from revoking citizenship on terrorism grounds alone. Trudeau introduced the law after Harper’s government revoked the citizenship of several terrorists and restored Canadian citizenship to more than a dozen convicted extremists. At the time of applying for citizenship in 2000, Rana claimed to have lived in Ottawa and Toronto for the previous four years with only a six‑day absence from the country, but a police investigation found that he had actually lived in Chicago in the United States for the entire duration, according to court filings from the Canadian immigration department. Rana owned multiple businesses and properties in Chicago, including the immigration company he allegedly used as a cover to facilitate the 26/11 attacks. ALSO READ —17 years of 26/11: 9 terrorists killed, one hanged; 2 acquitted, justice waits for 6 Authorities have accused Rana of “a serious and deliberate deception” and said his “lack of respect for the citizenship laws of Canada” led to the government wrongly granting him citizenship at the time. Global News reported that then‑immigration minister Chris Alexander (2013–15) had approved the revocation of Rana’s citizenship, but the process stalled under Trudeau’s government. In 2020, proceedings resumed after India asked the United States to extradite Rana. But the process was apparently stalled again asTrudeau plunged the relationship with India to its lowest pointwith allegations that India was carrying out assassinations inside Canada and running organised crime networks. He also turned a blind eye to the Khalistan movement finding a safe haven in Canada and not only plotting against India from Canadian soil but also threatening Indian diplomats and missions in the country. Rana served as a doctor in the Pakistani army before moving to Canada and later the United States. He ran several businesses as a cover for his terrorist activities. In 2011, Rana was convicted in the United States for plotting an attack on the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands‑Posten, but he was cleared of charges related to the Mumbai terrorist attacks. He has been linked to another Pakistani‑American terrorist, David Coleman Headley, who also played a key role in 26/11. In a U.S. court, Headley testified that Rana allowed him to use his immigration business as a cover to travel to India and plan the Mumbai attacks, despite knowing that the travel was part of a terrorist plot. Headley said he conducted reconnaissance in Mumbai as part of the plot, and Rana facilitated it. Rana facilitated Headley’s reconnaissance mission in Mumbai for the 26/11 plot on the instructions of Major Iqbal of Pakistan’s ISI agency, who was among the principal architects of the plot, The Print has previously reported. Following the attack, Rana allegedly said in intercepted communications that the victims “deserved it” and that the terrorists involved should be rewarded for their “gallantry in battle”. India's Ministry of Home Affairs released "Prahaar," the first comprehensive counter-terrorism policy, focusing on prevention, coordination, and response to evolving threats. The policy addresses risks from cross-border networks, cyber-attacks, drones, and emerging technologies, aiming to protect critical sectors. Prahaar emphasizes legal, technological, and community-driven strategies, including counter-radicalisation, international cooperation, and measures against terror financing and logistics. Get the latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.