Pak may extradite London terror key suspect to UK

Islamabad, Aug 26: As the top security officials of the UK and Pakistan are negotiating the extradition of Rashid Rauf, a key suspect of the abortive London midair terror plot, Britain has sought credentials of all those who were held here on suspicion of being linked with the design, a media report said.

The Nation newspaper quoted official sources as saying that on the expiry of remand of British national Rauf, whose arrest was registered at airport police station for holding tampered travelling documents, authorities on both sides were now working out his extradition to the UK.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, when contacted on the issue, confirmed the possibility of shifting Rashid Rauf to the UK, where he is required in the extensive probe into the London terror plot.

''Although we do not have an extradition treaty, the possibility is very much there,'' Ms Aslam said.

The held UK national of Pakistani descent is believed to have triggered dozens of arrests both here and in suburbs of London more than a week ago, when the alleged terror plot was unveiled.

The held suspects were allegedly orchestrating a plan to blow up several transatlantic flights midair with the collaboration of a Kunar-based al-Qaeda linchpin in neighbouring Afghanistan.

However, the spokesperson negated that Islamabad had received a fresh request from London seeking credentials of those arrested here in connection with plot.

''Both sides already have extensive cooperation and the arrests were the result of a coordinated action,'' she said.

Brushing aside the impression as if there was any confusion about the nationality of Rashid, Ms Aslam said it was established beyond doubt that the suspect was a British national.

UNI