CBC : British man awaiting extradition escapes from Pakistani police

British man awaiting extradition escapes from Pakistani police

The Associated Press | December 15, 2007

A British citizen who was once accused of plotting to blow up transAtlantic jetliners escaped from police custody in Pakistan on Saturday, officials said.

Rashid Rauf, who is facing extradition to Britain, fled after appearing before a judge at a court in the capital city of Islamabad, said police official Khalid Pervez.

Police teams on Saturday drove around the area in search of Rauf, who Pervez said had managed to open his handcuffs and evade two police guards who were taking him back to jail in the nearby city of Rawalpindi.

"We do not know how he escaped. But we do know he has escaped and the two policemen have been taken into custody for negligence," Pervez said.

Federal Interior Secretary Kamal Shah said he had been informed of Rauf's disappearance, but had no details.

Rauf, who is of Pakistani origin, was arrested in Islamabad in August 2006 on a tip from British investigators.