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August 29, 2006
UK: Request For Muslim Terror Suspect's Extradition From Pakistan
News from the Guardian, from AKI and Dawn relates that Britain has requested that one of the suspects in the Operation Overt terror investigation be extradited from Pakistan. 26-year old Rashid Rauf (pictured left) is currently being detained in Pakistan, suspected of being a key figure in the plot to bring down several US-bound planes using liquid explosives. When Rashid Rauf was arrested in Bahawalpur in the Punjab, this was the trigger of several arrests on August 10 in Britain.
Currently, his father, 52-year old Abdul Rauf, is also in custody in Pakistan, as we mentioned on August 19. He had been arrested as he tried to board a plane to Birmingham. The Charity Commission was investigating claims that a charity Abdul Rauf had founded, Crescent Relief, had been involved in diverting funds aimed at alleviation of the plight of victims of the October 8 earthquake in Pakistan towards terrorism. The charity has since had its assets frozen. Abdul Rauf stepped down from the charity in 2003.
The request to have his son Rashid extradited does not officially involve the terror plot with which he is suspected of playing a key part. Instead, it relates to the murder of Rashid Rauf's uncle. 54-year old Mohammed Saeed was stabbed near his home in Alum Rock, Birmingham, in April 2002, and while police were conducting their inquiries, Rashid fled to Pakistan.
As early as August 15, Pakistan suggested that it may extradite Rashid Rauf to Britain in connection with the terror plot, which is believed to have involved al Qaeda, but no formal extradition request had then been made by UK authorities. Officially there is no extradition treaty between the two countries.
On August 26, Dawn reported that the UK had formally approached the foreign affairs ministry in Islamabad, to seek the return to Britain of the terror suspect. At that time, Pakistan's interior minister, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, and its foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam had claimed to be unaware of such a request.
Now, Tasnim Aslam has said: "Yes, they have sought his extradition and the matter is under consideration." She denies that Rashid Rauf was arrested in Bahawalpur, saying: "Mr Rauf was arrested in Rawalpindi. Presently he is under detention and we are investigating his involvement in terrorist activities in three areas – his link with Al Qaeda, threat projected to the UK; and threat projected in Pakistan. The information being obtained from our investigations is being shared with the UK through appropriate channels." She told a reporter that she had "no clue" about arrests in Bahawalpur.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at August 29, 2006 5:11 PM
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