Dear Don't Play Fair,
On July 16th, 2005, a "senior government official" told the Sunday
Times that "one of the four suicide terrorists behind the London bomb
attacks was scrutinised by MI5 last year, but was judged not to be a
threat to national security" (SOURCE: David Leppard, "MI5 judged
bomber 'no threat'", Sunday Times, July 17th, 2005,
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1697562,00.html>).
It should be noted, that just after the 7/7 attacks, Nicolas Sarkozy,
the French Interior Minister, has said that "after a EU interior
ministers meeting on counterterrorism that some of the team had been
subject to "partial arrest" in spring 2004 but released in the hope of
catching a wider network." This allegation has been then denied by the
British Home Secretary, Charles Clarke (SOURCE: Simon Jeffery and
agencies, "Clarke denies bombing suspects were arrested", The
Guardian, July 13th, 2005,
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1527699,00.html?gusrc=rss>).
Who was Mohammed Sidique Khan?
=============================
As mentioned before, Mohammed Sidique Khan, one of the four suicide
bombers, was held for interrogation by the MI5, in 2004. His name,
according to these officials "came up for routine threat assessment"
(Sunday Times), an inquiry that focused on a plot to blow up a vehicle
loaded with 600lbs (about 300 kg) of explosive near a Soho nightclub.
More about this arrest operation
--------------------------------
"Operation Crevice", as it has been named, took place on March 31st,
2004. Police forces around the country arrested suspects in connection
with the attempt to blow up a Soho nightclub.
Bedfordshire POlice Press Release
<http://www.bedfordshire.police.uk/news/bedfordpolicesearch.taf?function=detail&NewsRelease_uid1=1539>
In addition, Khan visited Israel shortly before two British nationals
of Pakistani ethnicity have blown themselves up in a pub in Tel Aviv,
in 2003. He visited Israel only for one day, and the Israeli newspaper
Maariv reported that it is suspected that Khan was also linked to this
attack.
More about this case:
--------------------
Details of April 30, 2003 Tel Aviv suicide bombing
<http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2003/Details+of+April+30-+2003+Tel+Aviv+suicide+bombing.htm>
Suicide bomber kills 3 in Tel Aviv
<http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/29/mideast.violence/>
More about Khan's connections
-----------------------------
James Button, "London bomber slipped the net twice before", Sydney
Morning Herald, July 18, 2005,
<http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/london-bomber-slipped-the-net-twice-before/2005/07/17/1121538868658.html>
Ian Herbert and Kim Sengupta, "Teacher is identified as 'Mr K' who
inspired other suicide-bombers", The Independent, 18 July 2005,
<http://blogs.forumer.com/Beheer/8728/> (Same article, alternate URL:
<http://www.ezilon.com/information/article_6793.shtml>).
JAMES KIRKUP, "Security services 'failed to arrest bomber last year'",
The Scotsman, <http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1398042005>
Khan's Arrest and Release
-------------------------
The BBC claimed on July 25th, that Khan was "Khan was secretly filmed
and recorded speaking to a UK-based terror suspect" by the
"intelligence services". (SOURCE: BBC, "7 July bomber 'filmed last
year'", <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4375598.stm>).
Khan was released by the MI5, because he was not considered a threat.
Leppard reports that:
" MI5 officers subsequently decided that because Khan was only
?indirectly linked? to one of the bomb suspects he was not considered
a risk. The intelligence service took no further interest in him.
The government official said a ?quick assessment? had been made of
Khan at the time. Like hundreds of others linked to the inquiry, he
was judged to be ?on the periphery? of the suspect cell?s network. "
(ibid).
A government official further claimed, that the release was mostly due
to lack of funds: the MI5 was allegedly able to deal only with those
considered direct threat.
Kahn's Biographies/More details about him
-----------------------------------------
A relatively good biographical article about Khan could be found on Wikipedia:
Mohammed Sidique Khan
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Sidique_Khan>
Another good source is the Sunday Times (July 14th, 2005):
Edgware Road: Mohammad Sidique Khan
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22989-1693428,00.html>
More profiles:
Sandra Laville and Dilpazier Aslam, "Mentor to the young and
vulnerable", The Guardian, July 14th, 2005,
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1528112,00.html>
BBC, Suicide bombers' 'ordinary' lives
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4678837.stm>
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
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