Jury picked for terrorism trial in Chicago

CHICAGO, May 18 (UPI) -- A federal court jury was seated in Chicago Wednesday for the trial of businessman Tahawwur Rana, accused of ties to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The panel consists primarily of minorities, a situation that sits will with Rana's lawyer, Charlie Swift, WLS-TV, Chicago, reported.

"I believe we got a jury of Mr. Rana's peers, people who can understand Mr. Rana's position as an immigrant," Swift said. "People who can understand Mr. Rana's position as a minority in his community and as a businessman and a family man."

The 50-year-old Pakistani-born Chicago man, who operated an immigration business, is charged with helping scout out Mumbai before the attacks that left about 170 people dead.

WLS said a key to Rana's defense will likely be to try to undermine the expected testimony of David Coleman Headley, another Chicagoan who was charged with Rana and has pleaded guilty.

"[Rana] had the unfortunate fate of being friends with a terrorist," Swift said. "He was friends because they were friends at school, when they were young children, and he extended that friendship and loyalty, and David Headley betrayed that."

Headley has acknowledged attending terror training camps in Pakistan and conducting surveillance for the Mumbai attacks.

Indian officials have said they believe the Nov. 26, 2008, terror attacks in India's financial capital of Mumbai were masterminded by the Lashkar-e-Toiba terror group based in Pakistan.

Rana and Headley also allegedly plotted to bomb a Danish newspaper.

Rana is accused of allowing Headley to use his firm as cover to travel overseas while developing the Mumbai and Denmark plots. The two became friends when they attended a military school in Pakistan.

Rana has denied all involvement. Six more people facing similar charges remain at large.