The MEMRI Blog : Britain Demands Clarification In Escape Of Man Wanted In London Air Bombing Plot

Britain Demands Clarification In Escape Of Man Wanted In London Air Bombing Plot

December 17, 2007

The British government has expressed serious concern over the escape of Rashid Rauf, the Pakistani wanted in the London air terror plot case, from custody of Islamabad police.

Britain has said that it wants immediate clarification of the matter.

A committee formed by Pakistan's Federal Ministry of Interior is to probe the matter and submit a report to the Ministry in the next 48 hours.

Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. (ret.) Javed Iqbal Cheema has said that the search for Rashid Rauf is continuing.

Islamabad Police Inspector General Shahid Nadim Baloch said December 16 that the Rauf escaped from the custody of two policemen, who are under arrest and are being investigated. He said that he was not satisfied by the policemen’s explanation of the escape.

However, Rauf’s attorney described the escape as mysterious, saying that perhaps government officials do not want to hand Rauf over to the British government.

Source: Roznama Ausaf, Pakistan, 17 December 2007

From MEMRI's Urdu/Pashtu Project