Tahawwur Rana Claims He Was Pakistani Army’s Trusted Asset, Sent on Secret Saudi Mission
26/11 accused tells Mumbai Police he served in sensitive military zones and was deployed on covert Gulf War assignment by Pakistan Army
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 166 people, has claimed he was not only a “trusted asset” of the Pakistan Army but was also sent on a “covert mission” to Saudi Arabia, according to a Mumbai Mirror report. The startling revelations came during his first interrogation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his recent extradition to India.
Rana, currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was extradited from the United States in April this year after a prolonged legal battle. During questioning, Rana admitted to having served as a Captain in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps and revealed that he was stationed in multiple sensitive military zones, including Sindh, Balochistan, Bahawalpur, and the Siachen-Balotra sector — areas critical to Pakistan’s strategic defence.
He told investigators that during the 1990–91 Gulf War, he was deployed on a secret assignment to Saudi Arabia — a mission that, he claimed, demonstrated the high level of trust the Pakistani military placed in him. Although he was later declared a deserter after he fell ill and migrated to Canada, officials believe his deep-rooted connections within the military were instrumental in aiding terror networks.
After moving to the U.S., Rana set up an immigration business that served as a front for facilitating reconnaissance missions in India. Investigators say he assisted Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley in identifying key targets for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, including the Taj Hotel and Nariman House.
Rana’s confessions could play a crucial role in uncovering the extent of institutional backing for the 26/11 attacks and further expose transnational terror support structures.