MI5's alert in 2009 led to US's arrest of Headley, Rana

A timely tip-off from British counter-intelligence agency MI5 to their US counterparts led to the eventual arrest in 2009 of David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana — the childhood friends accused of plotting the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Indian counter-terror officials told HT, requesting anonymity.

- Abhishek Sharan

MUMBAI:

Rana, 64, was extradited to India from the US last week.

In July 2009, MI5 officials shared intelligence with the US regarding Pakistan-origin US citizen Headley's suspicious terror-scouting activities, the officials said. Headley was eventually arrested three months later in Chicago on October 3, 2009, and Rana, 15 days after that.