CHICAGO: A US jury has found a Pakistan-born Chicago man guilty of plotting an aborted attack on a Danish newspaper and aiding Pakistani terrorists, but cleared him of any role in the 2008 Mumbai siege. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 50, faces up to 30 years in jail for helping the banned Pakistan militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) plan an attack on a Danish newspaper that sparked outrage by publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. But the jury Thursday found there was insufficient evidence that Rana was involved in the Mumbai attacks that saw 166 people killed – even though a key figure described how he had used Rana's business offering immigration services as a cover while conducting surveillance in India's financial capital. Prosecutors hailed the verdict, which Rana's lawyers vowed to appeal. “The message should be clear to all those who help terrorists – we will bring to justice all those who seek to facilitate violence,” said US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, India Friday said it would press on with attempts to try Rana over the 2008 Mumbai attacks, despite a US jury finding him not guilty of involvement. “I do not see it as a setback as our case is still under investigation,” said the country's internal security secretary, U.K. Bansal, referring to Tahawwur Hussain Rana's acquittal in a Chicago court. – Agence France
