Suspect Denies Role in Alleged Jet Plot

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A British Muslim appearing before a Pakistani court on Friday denied that he was involved in an alleged plot to blow up passenger jets flying from London to the United States.

Rashid Rauf, who is of Pakistani origin, was detained by Pakistani agents in August after the alleged plot to assemble and detonate improvised explosives on board up to 10 U.S.-bound planes was uncovered.

An anti-terrorism court dropped terrorism charges against him on Dec. 13 and transferred the case to a regular criminal court.

After appearing before the court in Rawalpindi _ a city near the capital, Islamabad _ Rauf told reporters that the terrorism accusations against him were false.

"This is wrong and an injustice," he said Friday. "They (the police) keep shifting me from one court to another," he said as police whisked him away.

Earlier, Rauf briefly appeared before a judge who adjourned the hearing until Jan. 5 on request from his lawyer.

Police arrested 25 people in raids across Britain in August and charged 17 of them after uncovering the alleged plot to blow up the planes. A total of 15 people remain charged in the plot, and 13 remain in custody.

Upon his arrest, Rauf was identified by Pakistani officials as a "key person" in the plot. Pakistani intelligence officials had alleged Rauf had contacts with an Afghanistan-based al-Qaida operative who was said to be the mastermind.

But a judge earlier ruled there wasn't enough evidence to try Rauf on terrorism charges. Instead, he now faces charges of possessing explosives and forging travel and identity documents. Under Pakistani law he could be sentenced up to 14 years in prison if convicted.

According to the Pakistani government, British authorities have asked Islamabad to extradite Rauf in connection with a separate 2002 murder inquiry in Britain.

Rauf arrived in Pakistan soon after his uncle was stabbed to death in April 2002.

Pakistan and Britain do not have an extradition treaty, and Pakistani officials have said that no decision has been made on the extradition request.