Click to play videoChicago: Pakistan-born terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana has been denied bail by a Chicago court on the grounds of his being a "flight risk".
The court of Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan observed that Rana, a Canadian citizen has travelled extensively outside the US, has significant financial resources and expertise in immigration matters.
She 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".
Rana runs an immigration business and grocery store in Chicago, and has visited countries like Dubai, China, India, UK, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
Judge Nolan also observed that Rana had "significant financial resources" worth $1.6 million, which could be used if he has to fly out of the country.
The Judge said after the 45 minute court hearing that "due to all these reasons, Rana poses a serious risk of flight."
Rana, arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in October, was present during the hearing.
The FBI in its chargesheet said 48-year old Rana knew about the Mumbai terror attack plot, well in advance and that he and accomplice David Coleman Headley - charged in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks - discussed the plot in a conversation on September 7 which was secretly recorded.
Rana reportedly also said the terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba leader who planned the attack should be congratulated.
Both have also been charged with planning a terror strike against a Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that had printed Prophet Muhammad's cartoons in 2005.
Rana denied all the charges and had offered a security of nearly a $1 million in support of his bail application.
Rana's attorney Patrick Blegen also denied all the charges levelled against his client.
"There are no criminal records against him. I think the evidences against him are not particularly strong," said Blegen.
The Judge also said that she was not persuaded by defence arguments that Rana had been "duped" by Headley in the plot against the Danish newspaper.
In making her decision, the Judge had reviewed testimony of the three character witnesses presented by Blegen, five CDs, five hours of tapes, statement Rana made after his arrest in October, transcripts, emails, Headley's charges and the presentence report.
Rana has not yet been charged with the Mumbai attacks.
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