Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 10 (ANI): Israel’s Consul General to West India, Kobbi Shoshani has lauded the “big victory” for Indian government’s diplomacy, which secured the extradition of the 2006 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana.
Speaking to ANI, Shoshani said that Rana has to be brought to justice for the crime committed in Mumbai during the 26/11 attacks.
He said that Rana’s extradition to India will bring a little bit of comfort to the families of the victims.
“I would like to congratulate India. I think it’s a long time, sometimes it’s too long, but it’s a big victory for diplomacy, for diplomacy of the government of India. It’s a big success to bring him here to India. Personally, I think we have to bring terrorists or people who suspected as terrorists into justice. After so many years, it’s a big success to Indian diplomacy,” Shoshani said.
Rana is being extradited to India, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take custody of him upon arrival.
Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people.
When asked how he sees Rana’s role as a global terrorist as he is a Canadian terrorist but has links with Pakistani agencies, he responded, “I have to say the truth, Tahawwur Rana is suspected. He has to go to justice in the Indian court definitely, the crime that was here on 26/11, three days of horrible day nights and days in Mumbai will not be forgotten. What’s happened in Nariman House, in the rest of the places in…Taj Mahal and the Leopold cafe. This is something that cannot be forgotten, and we don’t have to forget also the families and the victims from all over the world, from India, by the way, by all religions and this is a I think it’s a little bit of comfort for them as well that he’s right now here and go to justice.”
Kobbi Shoshani said that hatred towards Jewish people, Israeli and towards some other nations’ nationalities around the world is mutual.
The Israeli diplomat stated that the day should not be marked as a celebration but as a way to close the circle.
Asked why Israeli citizens and US citizens were being targeted apart from Indians during the Mumbai attacks, Shoshani said, “The hatred towards the Jewish people, towards Israeli, and towards some other nations’ nationalities around the world is a mutual and common enemy.”
“That’s the reason that we are become a target for many, many terrorist groups. We know how to fight against them. Some of them, sometimes they succeeded, but it was a very terrible days, not only for Israelis and Jewish people, also to India. And I was hearing, as you probably remember, right after the event I was sent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. I remember the sadness over the faces of the Mumbaikers, then…I don’t want to say that it’s a day of celebration because it’s not a day of celebration, but it’s a way to close the circle.”
On Tahawwur Rana being tried in Indian courts after he is brought to India, Shoshani said, “We have to remember that there are so many people in India and around the world, families and people who are carrying their injuries over the years after these bloody days. Then I think that the comfort for them is it’s a big word, but definitely it’s going to be a very positive step towards bringing true to their life.”
The US Secretary of State had signed the surrender warrant authorizing Rana’s extradition to Indian authorities on February 11. Rana’s legal counsel subsequently filed an emergency stay motion seeking to challenge that order. On April 7, the US Supreme Court denied Rana’s petition for a stay of his extradition.
The Indian government has been seeking his extradition for years, and the US Supreme Court’s recent decision has paved the way for his transfer to India. According to the NIA, the government registered a case on November 11, 2009, at the NIA Police Station New Delhi as Case RC-04/2009/NIA/DL under various sections.
The NIA stated that the accused David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani and Tahawwur Hussain Rana were arrested by law enforcement agencies in the US in their case.
When asked about the US authorising a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs on some nations, including India, Kobbi Shoshani said, “First of all, last night the news made me and many people around the world very happy. I think that we have to find a formula. I think that India and Israel made a very smart decision not to go into confrontation and find out a solution through negotiation and I’m happy that President Trump eventually postponed it for 90 days, but maybe it’s going to be the right way. But we have to remember one more thing, I think that the American being great and America being a good economy and stronger economy is the interest of the all the entire democratic world, and I think that we are part of it.”
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that for 75 countries which have called Representatives of the United States for trade talks, he has authorised a 90-day “pause” and a substantially lower reciprocal tariff. The countries having trade talks with the US, include India.
He did not react to the ongoing tariff war between the US and China. However, he expressed belief in India’s economy and youth.
On being asked tariff war between China and the US, Shoshani said, “Definitely, there is a lot of trade between China and India, between China and Israel, and I think that I’m representing the state of Israel here in the west of India. And I don’t want to enter between the, the issue, the bilateral issues between the two countries. Definitely I think that I know the Indian economy. I’m a big believer in the Indian economy. I’m a great believer in the Indian youth and young generation, and I think that right now you don’t have any reason to be worried.”
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) announced an immediate increase in tariffs on China to 125 per cent. The move by the US President came following a retaliatory move by China, where it increased its tariff on US goods from 34 per cent to 84 per cent starting April 10.
China announced that it would increase its tariff on US goods from 34 per cent to 84 per cent starting April 10, as reported by Al Jazeera. The decision came after the US increased tariffs on China to a whopping 104 per cent. (ANI)
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