UK terror suspect linked to former Supermodel!

Posted by mija on Aug 15, 2006 in Exclusive, Insider, Scandals | 0 comments

In the ’80s and ’90s British model Heather Stewart-Whyte was known as one of the faces of Gucci. She also modelled for Versace, Yves Saint-Laurent, Armani and Victoria’s Secret.
She made headlines through her marriage to French tennis star Yannick Noah as well. They divorced later and Noah became a singer.
Now the 36-year-old former supermodel’s name is again in the news, but for a very different reason.
Her half-brother, Don Stewart-Whyte, was one of the 24 persons held in the UK in connection with the alleged terrorist plot to blow up jets in mid-air. Two were later released.
Stewart-Whyte, 21, was reportedly a regular happy-go-lucky youth. He later converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdul Waheed. His personality also changed completely, according to Mr Paul How, his boss at the nightclub where he worked.
Six months ago he married a Muslim girl, reported The Sun.Ms Heather’s mum was married to Stewart-Whyte’s dad Doug but the marriage ended three decades ago. She married again and took her two daughters to live with her new husband. Ms Heather’s looks soon got her on to the cover of Elle, Vogue Paris and Marie Claire which ultimately led to her modelling career. She modelled for Lagerfeld, Christian Dior and Maybelline too.
Her step-dad didn’t want to acknowledge any links with Stewart-Whyte. He told The Sun: ‘We really don’t want to talk about the guy. My wife has had no contact with her ex-husband for 30 years or so. I brought Doug’s girls up as my own and they have never seen their half-brother.’
It is not likely that they would want to have anything to do with Stewart-Whyte now. Mr How described his change to The Sun.
He said: ‘He was a typical lad who enjoyed a drink and was always willing to help. Then out of the blue he came and said he had converted to Islam and could no longer work behind the bar.’
Neighbours too told of how Stewart-Whyte became a changed figure after his conversion. He lived in Buckinghamshire with his widowed mother. Acquaintances said he had become less friendly.
One neighbour told The Guardian: ‘He grew a long beard and had shaved his head. The people he was hanging around with were different.
‘He doesn’t speak to anyone around here since his conversion. We don’t know what he does nowadays.’
Meanwhile, the mastermind of the plot, which was supposed to be on the scale of the 9/11 attack, is thought to be Birmingham-born Rashid Rauf, whom the UK police dubbed Mr Talibrum, after the Taliban.
Rauf, 29, who used the alias of Matiur Rehman, was held in Pakistan on Wednesday, UK media reported.
He is suspected of having organised the training of seven British suicide bombers who aimed to blow up jets and kill thousands.
He left Birmingham in 2002 after his uncle was found stabbed to death, reportedly the result of a family feud. The murder was never solved.
Rauf’s brother Tayib, 22, was among the suspects held.
It is now believed that the bombers were planning to board flights leaving the UK for the US, carrying explosives in soft drink containers. All are believed to have visited Pakistan.
Security chiefs are investigating whether Rauf indoctrinated the plotters during ‘bonding’ trips such as camping, canoeing and walking, reported The Mirror.
Two videos have been recovered showing the suspects boasting about their missions, reported The Sun.
Pakistan newspaper Daily Times reported that money sent by a UK charity for quake rehabilitation was used to fund the terror plot.