ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: The Rawalpindi Civil Lines police on Wednesday failed to present the London terror suspect, accused of being a key figure in an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic airliners, before the judicial magistrate evoking strong protests from his lawyer and relatives.

Special judge Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 Malik Safdar Hussain had referred the case of Rashid Rauf to Sessions Judge Imtiaz Ahmad directing him to send the accused for trial by Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Kalim Khan under section 419, 420, 468, 471 and section 5 of Explosives Act 1908.

Petitioner’s counsel Hashmat Ali Habib and relatives were present in the court waiting for the police to produce the ‘airline plotter’ before the judicial magistrate.

The petitioner’s counsel lodged a strong protest against the police terming it non-compliance of the judge’s orders. It amounted to keeping the accused in wrongful confinement, he told Dawn.

Mr Habib said the government was required to present the accused as directed by the special judge.

Rashid Rauf will face charges including impersonation and carrying a fake identity card and fake documents when his hearing starts on Friday, Mr Habib said.