Rashid Rauf
Encyclopedia
Rashid Rauf was an alleged Al-Qaeda
operative. He was a dual citizen of Britain and Pakistan
who was arrested in Bhawalpur, Pakistan in connection with the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
in August 2006, a day before some arrests were made in Britain. The Pakistani Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, claimed that "he is an al Qaeda operative with linkages in Afghanistan". He is said to be one of the ringleaders of the alleged plot. In December 2006, the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi
found no evidence that he had been involved in terrorist activities, and his charges were downgraded to forgery
and possession of explosives.
Rauf was born in England to Pakistani parents, and brought up in Birmingham
where his father was a baker. Rauf was married to a relative of Maulana Masood Azhar
, who is the head and founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed
, an Islamist militant group in Pakistan. One of Rauf's brothers, Tayib Rauf, was among those arrested in Britain, although he was later released without charges.
Rauf escaped from custody in December 2007. He was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone attack
in Pakistan on November 22, 2008, carried out by the CIA's highly secretive Special Activities Division
. The report was based on communications intercepted from militants in North Waziristan. His family have denied that he was killed. While CIA and Pakistan intelligence officials have maintained that Rauf was killed in the airstrike, the news site Long War Journal believes otherwise.
As of August 11, 2009, Asia Times Online believes that he is alive and living in North Waziristan
. As of September 8, 2009, however, USA Today and United Press International still believe that Rauf was killed. Some of Rauf's associates also believe that he never escaped from prison in 2007 and that he might have been dead long before the airstrike; Hashmat Malik, a lawyer representing the family of Rauf's wife Umat al-Warood, has also argued that Rauf was probably killed during a prison shootout at the time of his alleged escape. MI5 and MI6 officials also believe he might still be alive and plotting a new wave of attacks.
August 15: Pakistan said it may extradite Rauf to Britain, although no request had been received, according to The Associated Press
.
August 17: The alleged UK airport terror plot was sanctioned by al Qaeda's No2, Ayman al Zawahri, according to Pakistani intelligence. The latest investigations by Pakistan indicate that Rauf was the planner of the alleged attacks. "We have reason to believe that it was al Qaeda sanctioned and was probably cleared by al Zawahri", said a Pakistani official.
August 19: After two weeks of interrogation and a careful search of his house, too little evidence had been found to justify his extradition.
August 22: In Pakistan, law enforcement authorities continued to interrogate Rauf over his alleged key role in the plot. Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said British police were conducting inquiries in Pakistan but were not involved in questioning Rauf.
August 26: Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao said Rauf had “wider international links” and was in touch with an Afghanistan
-based al-Qaida leader. He did not offer any evidence to back up his claim. Pakistan has withheld information about at least seven suspects, whom security officials say were arrested on Rauf’s information. Pakistan has no extradition treaty with Britain, but Sherpao said they would consider deporting Rauf to London if a request was made. Rauf, in his mid-20s, is believed to have been interrogated by Pakistan agents near the capital, Islamabad
.
December 13: The terrorism charges against Rauf are dropped. The Pakistani court finds there is no evidence that he is involved in terrorism. The British government has stated this does not impact their proceedings against the other suspects whom they hold.
December 14, 2007: Rauf mysteriously escaped from jail. Authorities say he escaped after freeing himself from handcuffs. The two police officials on the duty were arrested by Islamabad police. The police also tightened security at public transport routes and especially in Rauf's native town, Mirpur. A month after this report surfaced, Rauf's lawyer denied he had escaped and said he was probably still in custody.
2008: Rauf had contact with Bryant Neal Vinas
, an American who joined al-Qaeda. Vinas was captured in November 2008, and convicted of participating in and supporting al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S.
November 22, 2008: Rauf is reportedly killed in a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan. After the Pakistan government failed to hand over his body, his family denied the reports.
April 8, 2009: British security sources claim Rauf was the mastermind behind an alleged terror cell, the members of which were arrested in North West England. It is unclear whether they thought he was still alive at this time.
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
operative. He was a dual citizen of Britain and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
who was arrested in Bhawalpur, Pakistan in connection with the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
The 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot was a terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives carried on board at least 10 airliners travelling from the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada...
in August 2006, a day before some arrests were made in Britain. The Pakistani Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, claimed that "he is an al Qaeda operative with linkages in Afghanistan". He is said to be one of the ringleaders of the alleged plot. In December 2006, the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
found no evidence that he had been involved in terrorist activities, and his charges were downgraded to forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
and possession of explosives.
Rauf was born in England to Pakistani parents, and brought up in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where his father was a baker. Rauf was married to a relative of Maulana Masood Azhar
Maulana Masood Azhar
Maulana Masood Azhar is a Pakistani mujaheddin leader and the founder of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed, based mainly in the Pakistan-administered portion of the state of Kashmir....
, who is the head and founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed
Jaish-e-Mohammed
Jaish-e-Mohammed is a Pakistani-based, militant Islamic group established by Maulana Masood Azhar in March 2000...
, an Islamist militant group in Pakistan. One of Rauf's brothers, Tayib Rauf, was among those arrested in Britain, although he was later released without charges.
Rauf escaped from custody in December 2007. He was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone attack
Drone attacks on Pakistan by the United States of America
The United States government, led by the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division, has made a series of attacks on targets in northwest Pakistan since 2004 using drones . These attacks are part of the US' War on Terrorism campaign, seeking to defeat Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants...
in Pakistan on November 22, 2008, carried out by the CIA's highly secretive Special Activities Division
Special Activities Division
The Special Activities Division is a division in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service responsible for covert operations known as "special activities"...
. The report was based on communications intercepted from militants in North Waziristan. His family have denied that he was killed. While CIA and Pakistan intelligence officials have maintained that Rauf was killed in the airstrike, the news site Long War Journal believes otherwise.
As of August 11, 2009, Asia Times Online believes that he is alive and living in North Waziristan
North Waziristan
North Waziristan is the northern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering . Waziristan comprises the area west and south-west of Peshawar between the Tochi river to the north and the Gomal river to the south, forming part of Pakistan's...
. As of September 8, 2009, however, USA Today and United Press International still believe that Rauf was killed. Some of Rauf's associates also believe that he never escaped from prison in 2007 and that he might have been dead long before the airstrike; Hashmat Malik, a lawyer representing the family of Rauf's wife Umat al-Warood, has also argued that Rauf was probably killed during a prison shootout at the time of his alleged escape. MI5 and MI6 officials also believe he might still be alive and plotting a new wave of attacks.
Timeline
August 12, 2006: U.S. and British sources said Rauf had a key operational role in the alleged plot. Rauf, a British citizen, appeared before a magistrate, according to Pakistan's Interior Ministry. Rauf is believed to have left the UK after his uncle was killed in 2002. He was not charged over the murder, which has never been solved.August 15: Pakistan said it may extradite Rauf to Britain, although no request had been received, according to The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
August 17: The alleged UK airport terror plot was sanctioned by al Qaeda's No2, Ayman al Zawahri, according to Pakistani intelligence. The latest investigations by Pakistan indicate that Rauf was the planner of the alleged attacks. "We have reason to believe that it was al Qaeda sanctioned and was probably cleared by al Zawahri", said a Pakistani official.
August 19: After two weeks of interrogation and a careful search of his house, too little evidence had been found to justify his extradition.
August 22: In Pakistan, law enforcement authorities continued to interrogate Rauf over his alleged key role in the plot. Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said British police were conducting inquiries in Pakistan but were not involved in questioning Rauf.
August 26: Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao said Rauf had “wider international links” and was in touch with an Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
-based al-Qaida leader. He did not offer any evidence to back up his claim. Pakistan has withheld information about at least seven suspects, whom security officials say were arrested on Rauf’s information. Pakistan has no extradition treaty with Britain, but Sherpao said they would consider deporting Rauf to London if a request was made. Rauf, in his mid-20s, is believed to have been interrogated by Pakistan agents near the capital, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
.
December 13: The terrorism charges against Rauf are dropped. The Pakistani court finds there is no evidence that he is involved in terrorism. The British government has stated this does not impact their proceedings against the other suspects whom they hold.
December 14, 2007: Rauf mysteriously escaped from jail. Authorities say he escaped after freeing himself from handcuffs. The two police officials on the duty were arrested by Islamabad police. The police also tightened security at public transport routes and especially in Rauf's native town, Mirpur. A month after this report surfaced, Rauf's lawyer denied he had escaped and said he was probably still in custody.
2008: Rauf had contact with Bryant Neal Vinas
Bryant Neal Vinas
Bryant Neal Vinas is a Hispanic Muslim American convicted of participating in and supporting Al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S....
, an American who joined al-Qaeda. Vinas was captured in November 2008, and convicted of participating in and supporting al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S.
November 22, 2008: Rauf is reportedly killed in a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan. After the Pakistan government failed to hand over his body, his family denied the reports.
April 8, 2009: British security sources claim Rauf was the mastermind behind an alleged terror cell, the members of which were arrested in North West England. It is unclear whether they thought he was still alive at this time.