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UK police question terror suspect
British police have begun questioning a man held in Italy on suspicion of trying to blow up a Tube train at Shepherd's Bush in London on 21 July. Osman Hussain, 27, also known as Hamdi Isaac, is in custody in Rome, following his arrest there on 16 July. British police have been allowed access to him after more than a week of negotiations with Italian officials. An inquiry is also under way into whether he should face international terrorism charges in Italy. Hussain fled to Italy by train after allegedly being seen at the scene of the failed bombing at Shepherd's Bush underground station. He is being questioned by UK police at Rome's Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven) prison. The "international rogatory" interrogation is the first time British police have had access to the suspect. The judge leading the separate Italian investigation, Rome's chief prosecutor and Hussain's lawyer are present at the interview. Hussain has been held in isolation at the jail since he was arrested at an apartment belonging to one of his brothers on the outskirts of the city last month. According to legal sources, Ethiopian-born Hussain, who has British citizenship, has the right to refuse to answer questions put to him by the British interrogators. Before the interview, his Italian lawyer Antonietta Sonnessa said she was looking forward to seeing the British police report on the explosive he was alleged to be carrying when he was spotted leaving Shepherd's Bush Tube station. She said he had told her he had had no intention of killing anyone in London. Britain's extradition request will be considered at a hearing in Rome next week. Hussain is also being investigated by the Italian authorities in connection with possible terrorism charges he may face in Italy. BBC Rome correspondent David Willey says the extradition process is expected to take some weeks, if not months. He said: "The Italian judiciary have got some charges which they may be bringing against the suspect for international terrorism committed on Italian territory and of course that will have precedence over anything the British police do." He added that, as Hussain had been arrested under a European arrest warrant, the extradition process should not take more than three months. Bomb suspects Ibrahim Muktar Said, 27, Yassin Hassan Omar, 24, and Ramzi Mohamed, 23, appeared before magistrates on Bow Street magistrates sitting at Belmarsh high security prison in south-east London, on Monday. They are charged with attempted murder and possessing explosives. One charge faced by Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 32, relates to an unexploded device found two days after the bomb attempts. The four men - who are also charged with conspiracy to murder - were remanded in custody for three months and will next appear in court on 14 November. The failed 21 July attacks took place two weeks to the day after four suicide bombers killed 52 passengers on the London transport network. Posted by: Steve 2005-08-09 |
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