Citing an unnamed senior security official, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday that Rauf, whose alleged plot to smuggle "liquid bombs" aboard international jetliners triggered stringent new security measures two years ago, was slain by a missile launched from a U.S. drone in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Rauf, 27, who grew up in Birmingham, England, and held dual Pakistani-British citizenship, had been on the run since escaping from Pakistan captors last year. The newspaper reported that the missile struck a home in the North Waziristan village of Alikhel, in a district known as a stronghold for al-Qaida and the Taliban, killing Rauf and at least three other militants.

"The transatlantic bombing plot alleged mastermind Rashid Rauf was killed along with an Egyptian al-Qaida operative in the U.S. missile strike in North Waziristan," a senior security official told the Telegraph.

Rauf's escape from police custody last year led to the questioning of 12 Pakistani police officers accused of assisting his escape or of negligence, the newspaper said.