Why did PM Modi's 14-year-old tweet go viral?

Tahawwur Rana, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has landed in India. He was brought to India on Thursday evening from the US by a special flight. Following Tahawwur's extradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 14-year-old tweet disapproving of the foreign policy of the then Congress-led government has gone viral. PM Modi posted that with the US finding Tahawwur Rana innocent in the Mumbai attack, India's sovereignty has been hurt and it is a major setback for foreign policy.

Who is Tahawwur Rana?

Tahawwur Rana is a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin who has been charged with being part of the conspiracy of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. The attack claimed the lives of 166 individuals. He was aware of the terror attack and was in contact with terror organizations and their leaders in Pakistan, according to officials.

Headley had disclosed that he had gone to India times

Rana's role in the 26/11 attacks was disclosed by his childhood friend and one of the key accused in the case, David Coleman Headley. According to Headley, he was in touch with Rana all the time and had even taken permission to set up a commercial office in Mumbai in order to conduct his activities. At the time of interrogation, Headley had disclosed that he had gone to India five times between 2007 and 2008 to carry out a recce of the Mumbai attacks, for which Rana had procured a five-year visa.

How Rana was brought to India

On the visit of PM Modi to the US this year, President Donald Trump had arranged for Rana's extradition. Rana was brought to Delhi on a special flight on Thursday evening after all legal attempts at preventing his extradition were unsuccessful. And he was taken into custody and handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for 18 days.

In 2013, Rana was given 14 years of imprisonment but was released in 2020 on health grounds. He was again arrested in the same year after India made an extradition request.