26/11 suspects Headley, Rana to be arraigned next week

Terror suspects David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana, indicted on charges of being involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, will be arraigned in a court in Chicago next week. The arraignments of Rana and Headley were initially scheduled for Wednesday, but have now been rescheduled.

While Pakistani-Canadian citizen Rana will be arraigned on January 25, Pakistani-American Headley's arraignment has been set for January 27 before United States Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys in US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, US Attorney Office's spokesman Randall Samborn said.

Further, a status hearing that was scheduled for Wednesday in Rana's appeal of detention has also been cancelled and not yet been rescheduled, Samborn said. Chicago residents Headley and Rana were indicted on January 14 by a federal grand jury on charges of being involved in the 26/11 attacks and planning a terror strike against a Danish newspaper in Copenhagen.

Ilyas Kashmiri, an allegedly influential terrorist leader in Pakistan who is alleged to be in regular contact with leaders of the Al Qaeda, and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed (Abdur Rehman), a retired major in the Pakistani military, were also indicted. Headley had in December pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him. Rana has been in custody since his arrest last year and has been denied bond.