Gulf Times : London terror suspect 'will soon be extradited'

London terror suspect 'will soon be extradited'

September 2, 2006

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to hand over Rashid Rauf to the United Kingdom, interior ministry sources said yesterday. Rauf is the main suspect in the London airline terror plot.

Although there was no extradition treaty between Pakistan and the UK, as a signatory of a UN convention and under different provision in the law of the country, the government could hand over the accused to Britain, sources said.

There were precedents and people wanted in different cases have been handed over to the UK in the past, the sources added.

"We have handed over some people to the British government in the recent past," they said.

The UK has submitted a request to the Foreign Office seeking Rauf's custody. The accused is reported to possess Pakistan and UK nationality.

"Rauf is a British national, therefore he can be repatriated to the UK on special grounds," the sources said.

A six-member team from the UK intelligence agency MI5 arrived in Islamabad on August 16 to seek custody of the suspect. The team wanted to take Rauf to London for further questioning, the sources said.

The accused is stated to be in custody of an intelligence agency which is investigating the case from Pakistan's point of view to ascertain his links in the country. The sources said the UK team had provided a list of some other suspects believed to be involved in the case to the authorities.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told media that credible information has been obtained from Rauf.

- Internews
Gulf Times Newspaper, 2006