Pakistan drops terror charges against alleged UK plot mastermind
Allahpundit
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.” ...
The less bad news: he might end up in a British jail anyway. ...
Heathrow terror suspect set to be extradited
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.
British police have not been allowed to talk to him since he was seized by Pakistani agents in August.
His detention triggered a series of arrests across the UK and forced ministers to go public on claims that British-born terrorists were about to detonate liquid explosives on planes flying from Heathrow to the US.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded at British airports and flights grounded. Pakistan officials named Mr Rauf as the ring leader and claimed his arrest led to them uncovering the Heathrow plot.
Eleven men, most of Pakistani origin, have been charged in the UK with conspiracy to murder and preparing an act of terrorism.
Mr Rauf has always denied any links with terrorism but the judge ruled that he must still face trial next week on charges of carrying fake identity documents.
Pakistani officials told The Times that while there is no extradition treaty with the UK they are prepared to return Mr Rauf if the British authorities want to question him. ...
