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US court denies bail to Rana; says he could flee Yoshita Singh Chicago,
Dec 16 (PTI) Pakistan-born Canadian Tahawwur Rana, accused of plotting
terror attacks in India and Denmark, was Wednesday denied bail by a US court
which said if released he may flee the country to avoid a possible 30-year
jail term. Dismissing the bail plea, US Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan at
Federal court here said with Rana's expertise in immigration business, there
is a risk that he can leave the US as his possible incarceration "could give
him a motive to flee". Nolan rejected his family's offer of USD one
million in bond to release him, saying this was not "sufficient". In fresh
affidavits, the FBI said 48-year-old Rana, co-conspirator of LeT operative
David Coleman Headley, "knew in advance" about the 26/11 Mumbai attacks
after which he "complimented" the Pakistan-based terror outfit. Rana, who
runs an immigration business and grocery store in the city, has travelled
extensively outside the US, going to countries like UAE, China, India, UK,
Germany and Saudi Arabia and has a lot of international contacts, Nolan said
at the 45-minute long hearing. With a net worth of USD 1.6 million, Rana
also has "significant financial resources", which could be used if he has to
fly out of the country, the judge said. Nolan ruled that Rana is a "risk
of flight" since he maintains strong family ties with Canada where his
father and siblings live and "has some but not substantial ties to the US".
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