POLICE are quizzing two more men over last month's failed bomb attacks as a suspect in Rome was charged with international terrorism. The pair were seized when three homes were raided in Stockwell, south London.
Hamdi Issac, also known as Osman Hussain, was charged by Italian prosecutors in a surprise move. It is not expected the charges, which include possessing false identity documents, will lead to a trial in Italy. The 27-year-old is said to be co-operating.
Chief anti-terrorist policeman Carlo De Stefano said the extradition should not take long. He revealed Italian police were probing links between Osman's family and an al-Qaida money-laundering network. | I knew that "one bad apple" meme was a little weak |
One of Osman's brothers, Remzi, had been monitored since September 11, 2001 after the FBI placed his business on the list of companies involved with al Barakaat, the network used by al-Qaida to move money.
Immigration officers and police are investigating whether as many as four of those linked to the failed Tube and bus bombings on July 21 entered Britain on false papers. Immigration officers suspect the men, who have all been arrested, followed in the footsteps of Ethiopian-born Osman, who conned his way in by saying he was Somali. Osman, suspected of being the Shepherd's Bush bomber, was arrested in Rome after fleeing on the Eurostar. Downing St said an internal Home Office inquiry had been launched into how he was able to escape on the train and consideration was being given to reintroducing checks on everyone leaving Britain.
Another visitor to the Rome flat in recent weeks is said to have been Muktar Saed Ibrahim, 27, the suspected Hackney bus bomber, whom Osman alleges is the leader of the so-called East African cell. | Rome is looking more like a hub of operations than just a place Osman ran to hide |
Police want to know why Remzi, one of four brothers now under arrest, flew to Dubai, Munich, Amsterdam, Zurich and Geneva in recent weeks. | That smells like a money trail |
Mr De Stefano said Osman had made at least one mysterious phone call to Saudi Arabia on his journey. British and Saudi investigators are examining calls, text messages and emails between leaders of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia and unknown people in Britain in February-May. |