The Rashid Rauf Mystery.

The Washington Post reports that terrorism charges against Rashid Rauf, a Pakistani suspected of being a major figure in the transatlantic aircraft plot last August, have been dropped by a Rawalpindi terrorist court, although Rauf remains in custody charged with lesser offences.

Even though the Wikipedia article cited above is disputed, it can readily be seen from the above links that case has been controversial from the time of the first arrests, with charge and counter-charge being exchanged across the Atlantic about the timing of Rauf's arrest. Rauf's aquittal on the most serious charges merely adds more layers to the mystery.

Last month, Atlantic Free Press revisited the case.

For more on Rauf, see also:

the Guardian, "Pakistan says 'ringleader' admits link with al Qaida", 14 August, 2006;

The Next Hurrah on "How was Rashid Rauf arrested?";

and from South Asia Analysis Group, "The Curious Case of Rashid Rauf - International Terrorism Monitor Paper 161."

These sources will not clear up the mystery but they do amplify the many unanswered questions.

Tags: Pakistan, Rashid Rauf, War on Terror