ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: An aide to the leader of banned militant group Jaish-i-Mohammad denied on Thursday that a British national arrested in Pakistan in connection with the plot to blow up US-bound airliners had ever been a member of the group.

“This individual, Rashid Rauf, was never a member of Jaish-i-Mohammad ... and was never ever close to Maulana Masood in any capacity,” said Ismail Hamza, referring to the militant group’s leader, Maulana Masood Azhar.

Azhar’s father, Hafiz Allah Bukhsh, told Reuters on Wednesday that Rauf had been a member of Jaish before joining a rival movement that was anti-American and more focused on Afghanistan.

Pakistan has identified Rauf as an Al Qaeda member.

Hamza, a spokesman for Azhar’s family, denied that the elderly Buksh had spoken to a Reuters journalist.

Reuters also reported that Bukhsh said Rauf was related by marriage to one of his own sons.

Several other news organisations have since reported Rauf was related by marriage to Azhar’s family. — Reuters