Haroon Rashid Aswat

Haroon Rashid Aswat (born ca. 1979 in Britain) is a British citizen of Indian[1] origin. He is alleged to have ties to al Qaeda.[2]

Contents

Possible role in the London transit bombing of July 7th, 2005

In the first two weeks following the July 7, 2005 bombings Police sources initially told newspapers that Aswat made some 20 mobile phone calls to two of the suspected bombers, Mohammed Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, one just hours before the blasts.[3][4]

On July 31, 2005, following a more thorough forensic analysis of the remains of the bombers' phones, The Times reported that[2]:

"British investigators, examining whether telephone calls were made between the London bombers and Aswat before the attacks of 7/7, caution that the calls may have been made to a phone linked to Aswat, rather than the man himself."

Possible role in setting up a training camp in Oregon in 1999

Aswat is reported to have first come to the attention of American counter-terrorism officials in 2002, because they believed he helped set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon in the United States in 1999.[5][6][7]

According to The Sunday Herald, by 1999, Aswat was calling himself a "hit man" for bin Laden.[5]

Believed KIA in Afghanistan in 2003

Aswat's passport was found on a man killed in action in Afghanistan in early 2003.[5][8] American and British counterterrorism officials believed the dead man was Aswat.

Resurfaces in South Africa in 2005

Local South African newspapers who interviewed his neighbors and co-workers reported that Aswat had been living an outwardly quiet life in South Africa for at least five months.[9]

Evades capture

The New York Times quotes unnamed security officials that when Aswat's presence was brought to the attention of American authorities they wanted to subject him to an extraordinary rendition.[8]

The New York Times sources said British officials objected[8]:

"The discussion was whether or not they would render him.

"He's got U.K. papers, and they said you can't render somebody with U.K. papers."

Aswat subsequently evaded surveillance in South Africa, and slipped back in to Britain, though the channel port of Felixstowe, in late June 2005.[10] Aswat left Britain, through London's Heathrow airport on July 7, 2005, hours before the bombers struck on that day.

On July 29, 2005, during an interview on Fox News a former US prosecutor named John Loftus, asserted that Aswat was a double agent, backed by Britain's MI6.[11] Loftus claimed that MI6 intervened to protect Aswat while he was trying to evade capture.

Capture, and extradition to the United Kingdom

Aswat was reported to have been captured in Pakistan, shortly after the bombings.[12] Aswat was, however, arrested in Zambia, on July 20, 2005.[9][13] He was deported from Zambia to the UK on 7 August 2005 and arrested on his arrival.[6]

Following Aswat's capture his family issued a press release that stated[14]:

"He has not lived at this house and we have not had contact with him for many years

"There is no story that we can provide.'"

Extradition to the United States

Once Aswat was transferred to the United Kingdom he was held in detention on a U.S. arrest warrant.[15][16][17] American justice officials sought to try Aswat for his alleged role in setting up the Oregon training camp in 1999.

A British judge approved Aswat's extradition on November 30, 2006, discounting the concern Aswat's lawyers expressed that there was "a real risk" Aswat would face inhumane treatment in U.S. custody.[18][19] Aswat was still in detention in the United Kingdom in 2009, waiting the results of his challenge to his extradition order[20]

In 2010 the European Court of Human Rights blocked the extradition orders of Aswat, Abu Hamza al Masri, Babar Ahmad and Seyla Talha Ahsan.[21][22]

References

  1. ^ Complete 911 Timeline: Haroon Rashid Aswat
  2. ^ a b Richard Woods et al. (July 31, 2005). "Tangled web that still leaves worrying loose ends". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article549996.ece. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
  3. ^ Zahid Hussain, Daniel McGrory Sean O'Neill (July 21, 2005). "Top al-Qaeda Briton called Tube bombers before attack". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article546327.ece. Retrieved 2007-07-30.  mirror
  4. ^ Letta Tayler (2005-07-30). "Last 3 of 4 suspects in failed attacks held: Two arrested in London, one in Rome completes tally in failed attacks". Times Union. p. A1. http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6349809. Retrieved 2011-11-30. "Scotland Yard declined to comment on the arrest in Zambia of a British man sought in connection with the July 7 bombings. British investigators reportedly believe Haroon Rashid Aswat, 31, had been in telephone contact with some of the four suicide attackers."  mirror
  5. ^ a b c Liam McDougall (July 31, 2005). "Brains behind terror plot may be Brit the security services thought". Sunday Herald. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20050731/ai_n14827406/print. Retrieved 2007-08-04.  mirror
  6. ^ a b Letta Tayler, Colby Itkowitz (July 30, 2005). "Raids nab rest of 4 bombs suspects: Arrests made in London and Rome". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ny-wobomb304364351jul30,1,3657461.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
  7. ^ Letta Tayler (2005-07-22). "London blasts a sober reminder: Bombs misfire, but popping sound of detonators sends lunchtime transit passengers fleeing in panic". Times Union. p. A1. http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6348470. Retrieved 2011-11-30. "Meanwhile, U.S. and British authorities investigating the July 7 attacks searched for information on Haroon Rashid Aswat, a Pakistani man allegedly connected to a foiled plot to create a terrorist training camp in Bly, Ore."  mirror
  8. ^ a b c William K. Rashbaum, Raymond Bonner (July 30, 2005). "Suspect in London fatal blasts eluded arrest". International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/29/news/britain.php. "Aswat first came to the attention of the U.S. counterterrorism investigators in 2002 in Seattle. But the authorities there believed he had subsequently been killed fighting U.S. forces in Afghanistan. In the weeks before the London bombings, the South African authorities informed the U.S. authorities in New York that Aswat was living in their country, one of the officials said."  mirror
  9. ^ a b "UK blast mastermind sold CDs in Johannesburg". rediff. August 2, 2005. http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/02ukblast1.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-30. "Haroon Rashid Aswat, believed to be the mastermind behind the July 7 London bombings that killed 56 people, made his living by selling compact discs in downtown Johannesburg and was known in his neighbourhood as a 'nice family man.'"  mirror
  10. ^ "7/7 'Mr Big' seized,"]. The Sun. 28 July 2005. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2004600000-2005340756,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
  11. ^ Michael Meacher (September 10, 2005). "Britain now faces its own blowback: Intelligence interests may thwart the July bombings investigation". London: The Guardian. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,9115,1566919,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-10.  mirror
  12. ^ "British Al Qaeda suspect 'called bombers'". London: Daily Mail. July 21, 2005. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=356565&in_page_id=1770. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
  13. ^ "Bombings mastermind held in Zambia". London: Daily Mail. July 29, 2005. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=357447&in_page_id=1770&ct=5. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
  14. ^ "U.K. Gov't Plans Tough Terror Laws". Fox News. July 21, 2005. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163182,00.html. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
  15. ^ Simon Freeman (August 8, 2005). "British al-Qaeda suspect facing extradition to US". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article553004.ece. Retrieved 2007-08-02. "Mr Keith said that Mr Aswat had claimed to have been in a camp in Afghanistan and to have met Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda. He remained at the camp in Bly, Oregon, for a month before going back to Seattle and his whereabouts after that were unknown, Mr Keith said."  mirror
  16. ^ "'Al-Qaida' Briton faces extradition to US". London: The Guardian. January 5, 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,1679876,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-02.  mirror
  17. ^ James Sturcke (August 11, 2005). "10 detained over 'threat to national security'". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1546887,00.html?gusrc=rss.  mirror
  18. ^ "British terror suspects lose extradition battle". London: Daily Mail. November 30, 2006. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=419587&in_page_id=1770. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
  19. ^ "UK terror suspects lose extradition battle". London: The Guardian. November 30, 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1960713,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-02.  mirror
  20. ^ "Trial record provides account of Oregon jihad camp". Komo News. 2009-10-18. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/64709457.html. Retrieved 2011-10-01. "Kassir recently was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the camp, which was intended to be an Islamic fighter training base. His alleged partners in the enterprise - Abu Hamza al-Masri and Haroon Rashid Aswat - are awaiting extradition to the U.S."  mirror
  21. ^ Dominic Casciani (2010-07-08). "Abu Hamza US extradition halted". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10551784. "Abu Hamza, Mr Ahmad and Mr Ahsan face life sentences and US prosecutors have said that Abu Hamza could be jailed for 100 years. Mr Aswat faces a maximum of 50 years."  mirror
  22. ^ "Court halts radical's extradition". Fox News Australia. 2010-070-09. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/court-halts-radicals-extradition/story-e6frfku0-1225889612291. "The Strasbourg-based court said it wanted to look into the men's concerns over the length of their possible sentences and conditions at the ADX Florence "supermax" prison in Colorado where they were likely to be held"  mirror

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