Two British lawmakers urged the government to reveal Sunday whether it knew in advance about a U.S. missile attack in Pakistan which killed the alleged mastermind of an airplane bombing plot. British-Pakistani Rashid Rauf died Saturday when a missile hit a tribesman's house in the village of Alikhel, part of a northwestern border district that is a known stronghold of al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, a Pakistani security official told AFP.
Rauf was the alleged al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic jet bombing conspiracy. He had been tracked by British, American and Pakistani intelligence ever since he escaped from the custody of the Pakistani authorities in mysterious circumstances earlier this year.
" We can investigate whether British security services had involvement in providing intelligence concerning British nationals in Pakistan, "
British lawmaker Andrew Dismore |
British lawmaker Andrew Dismore, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, will ask the scrutiny body to probe whether British intelligence services had been consulted about the missile strike, the Sunday Times newspaper reported. "This is a very serious matter, particularly if the attack was based on intelligence provided by the British security agencies. We can investigate whether British security services had involvement in providing intelligence concerning British nationals in Pakistan. I anticipate this is a matter the committee might like to follow up," he said.
"If there is any suggestion of complicity of the U.K. security services in this particular incident then that is certainly something we would want to take into account in our work on this subject," the Sunday Times quoted Dismorse.
| Once again certain MPs fail to understand how the world works, and believe that they can defeat terrorism by waging law. Pakistan is beyond their reach and certainly beyond the reach of law. It's a harsh, uncomfortable fact of life, and if we don't stop people like Rauf, they're going to kill thousands of Brits -- or Americans. |
The British newspaper reported that Patrick Mercer, the main opposition Conservative Party's former security spokesman, said Rauf's killing raised serious issues. "This raises the question of how much co-operation the British intelligence agencies provided in what is ultimately the execution of a British subject. The government must explain its involvement and its future policy in this area," he said.
| No, the government should leave this as gray as possible, and if the Tories come to power they'd be best advised to leave it dark gray as well. Say nothing, work quietly, find the terrs and whack them. |
At Rauf's family home in Birmingham yesterday the only response came from a bearded man in his twenties, according to the Sunday Times. The man, who would not identify himself, said: "I'm very angry right now, so you should leave for your own safety."
The Sunday Times quoted British officials as saying they were still seeking formal confirmation of the identities of those killed in Saturday's missile strike, but questions will be raised about what, if anything, London knew about an attack by coalition forces that resulted in the death of a British citizen.
The arrangements under which the CIA consults with Britain about such strikes, the London newspaper said, remain a closely guarded secret, given the intensity of interest in Rauf.
The attack has alarmed some MPs who say it raises important questions about Britain's co-operation with America in the war on terrorism.
| Look, if you're this squeamish, we really don't need you. We can go kill terrorists and not talk with you about it, before or after. And if a terr turns out to be a British subject, so be it. |
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