Guardian : UK suspect avoids Pakistan terror charges

UK suspect avoids Pakistan terror charges

Staff and Agencies | December 13, 2006

A British man the Pakistani authorities have identified as a "key" person in an alleged plot to blow up a series of transatlantic passenger planes will not face terrorism charges, a court in Pakistan ruled today.

The case of Rashid Rauf, 25, does not "fall in the category of terrorism", a judge at an anti-terrorism court in the city of Rawalpindi said, transferring him to the jurisdiction of a court that hears regular criminal cases.

"The allegations that the police made against him did not prove terrorism," Mr Rauf's lawyer, Hashmat Habib, said.

A court official said Mr Rauf had been accused separately of possessing forged travel and identity documents.

Mr Rauf was arrested in Pakistan in August shortly before fears of a plot to blow up planes flying between Britain and the US saw mass cancellations of flights to and from Heathrow airport for several days.

Pakistani intelligence officials alleged Mr Rauf had been in contact with an Afghanistan-based al-Qaida operative who was supposedly behind the scheme.

Dozens of people in Britain and Pakistan were arrested and charged in connection with the alleged plot.

Separately, Britain is seeing to extradite Mr Rauf in connection with an inquiry into the murder of his uncle in April 2002.

British police have refused to discuss the case. However, according to earlier reports, Mr Rauf moved to Pakistan shortly after his uncle Muhammad Saeed, 54, was stabbed to death just yards from his terrace home in Alum Rock, Birmingham.

Police raided Mr Rauf's home, also in Birmingham, as part of the inquiry and he was considered a suspect in the killing.