http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1312&id=1710552005
Government to investigate bombing suspect's Eurostar escape KAREN MCVEIGH AN INVESTIGATION into how a suspect in the failed suicide bombings in London on 21 July was able to leave Britain and flee to Italy was announced by the government yesterday, amid reports a third Islamic terror cell was on the loose. Geoff Hoon, the Leader of the House of Commons, expressed concern over the way Osman Hussain, a suspect in the Shepherd's Bush attempted bombing, escaped on a Eurostar train five days after the botched attacks before travelling to Rome. Mr Hoon was asked yesterday - as seven more arrests were made in connection with the inquiry, this time in Brighton - about the checking of documents at Waterloo station. He said: "I understand that concern, and I am aware the Home Office will be looking at that. "Certainly in recent times there has been enhanced security for those leaving the country, as well as for those coming into the UK. It is something we must continue to look at very carefully." Paul Murphy, the chairman of the parliamentary intelligence and security committee, said it is to assess what lessons the agencies need to learn from the 7 and 21 July attacks. Osman, whose lawyer said he is fighting extradition to the UK, was arrested by Italian police on Friday after being captured at his brother's flat on the outskirts of Rome. Police tracked him by tracing calls made from a mobile phone belonging to his brother-in- law. Reports suggested that, despite a massive manhunt for the fugitive bombers, whose photographs were widely published, Osman's British passport was checked only by French immigration officials at London's Waterloo rail terminal. As the police investigation into the attempted bombings continued amid further arrests and the interrogation of four suspected bombers and a fifth linked to the cell, Osman's Italian lawyer spoke out on behalf of her client. Antonietta Sonnessa said that Osman, also known as Hamdi Isaac, had told interrogators that his failed bomb attack was a "form of protest against civilians suffering in wars". She said: "He was not a kamikaze. He didn't want to blow anything up at all. He cannot give any help to police for the simple fact that he is not associated with any terrorist organisation." Osman was quoted by the Corriere della Sera newspaper as having said to police: "The idea that Muktar [fellow suspect Muktar Said- Ibrahim] had was to spread fear among the English. He wanted to react to the aggressive atmosphere which Muslims faced after the 7 July attacks. People gave us dirty looks in the street." However, experts have dismissed any claim that the 21 July bombers did not intend to kill. Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said that, had the bombers been successful, the carnage would have been as bad as the 7 July bombs which killed 56 and maimed many more. Two of Osman's brothers have been arrested by Italian police, the second yesterday. One report said that the brother, Fati Isaac, was accused of "hiding or destroying" documents. They are not believed to be directly linked to terrorism. Scotland Yard has played down speculation that they are still hunting another suicide bomber cell in Britain. But a spokeswoman admitted: "We are still searching for other people in connection with this ongoing inquiry. We are not talking about cells. We have never spoken about a third cell." The seven suspects taken into custody after the raids in Brighton brings the number held to at least 19. Police have been given extra time to question Yasin Hassan Omar, 24, who was captured in Birmingham on Wednesday after being disabled with a Taser stun gun. Muktar Said-Ibrahim, 27, alleged to be the Hackney bus bomber, and Ramzi Mohammed, linked to the Oval tube attack, are being questioned after their arrest in a flat in Notting Hill on Friday. Police are also questioning Wahbi Mohammed, 23, brother of Ramzi, after a raid in Tavistock Crescent, West London. Last night, a man was arrested under anti-terror laws at Stockport railway station, Cheshire. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> <font face=arial size=-1><a href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12hq3dihf/M=362329.6886306.7839369.3040540/D=groups/S=1705323667:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1122911379/A=2894321/R=0/SIG=11dvsfulr/*http://youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=1992 ">Fair play? Video games influencing politics. Click and talk back!</a>.</font> --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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