Topic: Rashid Rauf

Rashid Rauf (born ca. 1981 - allegedly died November 22, 2008) was an alleged Al-Qaeda operative. He was a dual citizen of Britain and Pakistan who was arrested in Bhawalpur, Pakistan in connection with the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot in August 2006, a day before some arrests were made in Britain. The Pakistani Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, claimed that "he is an al Qaeda operative with linkages in Afghanistan". He is said to be one of the ringleaders of the alleged plot. In December 2006, the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi found no evidence that he had been involved in terrorist activities, and his charges were downgraded to forgery and possession of explosives. Rauf was born in England to Pakistani parents, and brought up in Birmingham where his father was a baker.

Rauf was married to a relative of Maulana Masood Azhar, who is the head and founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed, an Islamist militant group in Pakistan. One of Rauf's brothers, Tayib Rauf, was among those arrested in Britain, although he was later released without charges.

Rauf was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan on November 22, 2008. His family have denied that he was killed.