Pakistan drops terror charges against alleged UK plot mastermind; Update: Extradition forthcoming
posted at 11:44 am on December 13, 2006 by Allahpundit
Send to a Friend |
printer-friendly
There’s really no good news anymore, just “bad” and “less bad.”
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has dropped all terrorism-related charges against the British citizen who, U.S. authorities say, is the mastermind behind the U.K. terror plot to bomb a series of airplanes this summer…
Rauf’s lawyer told the Agence France-Presse today that the prosecution had claimed Rauf was in possession of 29 bottles of the chemical hydrogen peroxide, which was meant to be used to blow up the passenger jets.
“But they failed to produce any evidence to support the allegations,” the lawyer, Hasmat Habib, said. “This chemical is also used to heal wounds.”
All that’s left now are fraud and forgery charges.
The less bad news: he might end up in a British jail anyway.
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.
Update: Good news after all — dropping the charges might have been a procedural pretext needed to send him to Britain.
Pakistan today cleared the way for the handover of Rashid Rauf, the Briton alleged to have masterminded the plot to blow up trans-Atlantic passenger planes, after a surprise move by a judge to drop terror charges against him.
British officials have been trying to extradite the 25-year-old from Birmingham for five months.
The dramatic ruling by a court in Rawalpindi is being seen as part of an agreement to speed up his return to the UK where Scotland Yard detectives want to question Mr Rauf about the Heathrow plot and his possible links to the 7/7 suicide bombers in London.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Our partners in peace.
JammieWearingFool on December 13, 2006 at 11:53 AM
Nice we can always count on our friends who we lavish with millions,if not billions of $$$$$
Wade on December 13, 2006 at 11:55 AM
Many will certainly not agree with me on this one, but perhaps this event is not all bad.
This post demonstrates that proof of criminal activity is required for conviction in Pakistan. If the prosecution failed to provide the necessary proof, to make their case convincingly, what other result is to be expected?
The consolation is that the UK has matters they wish to prosecute with this individual.
I honestly don’t see why this event is negative. If anything it speaks to me of a positive event, Pakistan has a legal system that is working.
What am I missing here?
omegaram on December 13, 2006 at 12:25 PM
Looks like Al-Qaeda/Taliban are putting even more pressure on never nervous Pervez. I’m just wondering when we are going to have another one of those phone calls with him (like the one right after 9/11).
Rick on December 13, 2006 at 12:27 PM
wow,, must have lot of accidents in his kitchen cutting up sheep and goats and needs all the peroxide..
let’s get real! Pakistan is not our freind..
!
retired on December 13, 2006 at 12:30 PM
If this were an isolated incident than maybe not a big deal, but it is not isolated and this further demonstrates Pakistan is afraid to confront the terrorists, there fore putting our friendship on very nervous footing.
Wade on December 13, 2006 at 12:44 PM
Nice! It turns out the Pakistani courts are not that different than our own.
Gregor on December 13, 2006 at 12:46 PM
Working for murderers, rapists, and pedophiles.
Gregor on December 13, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Wade: Is the issue that Pakistan is afraid to confront terrorists, even with proof of guilt, OR is the issue that there was not sufficient proof to warrant a conviction?
What facts do we have to indicate that the state of affairs was not as described: lack of proof to warrant a conviction?
omegaram on December 13, 2006 at 12:54 PM
Musharraf is a very endangered leader. He has survived at least 3 serious assassinations. That is the reason for the “peace treaty” earlier this Fall with the Taliban controlled areas.
Unless the UK is very serious, this guy can be out on the streets again soon.
Maybe just NO news is good news anymore.
labwrs on December 13, 2006 at 1:02 PM
Pakistan should be afraid to confront the terrorists. They can’t protect themselves, and they certainly can’t depend on us for support, in particular after the last elections.
Laura on December 13, 2006 at 1:24 PM
You are absolutely right. Due to the election results here in America, all jihadists are going to start flexing their muscles more and claiming victory all around the world (as they have been already). Additionally and very unfortunately, new recruits will be flooding in their doors. Things will probably get much worse before they ever get better.
Rick on December 13, 2006 at 1:50 PM
LOL. Jeez, what a surprise!
THeDRiFTeR on December 13, 2006 at 2:48 PM
So…I wonder where Musharraf is going to live in retirement? Miami? Boca Raton?
Jaibones on December 13, 2006 at 4:28 PM