London bombing suspects due in court

London, April 7: Three men are due in court today charged in connection with the July 7, 2005, suicide bomb attacks that killed 52 commuters on London's transport system.

The men are the first to be charged over the attacks on three underground trains and a bus. They are accused of conspiring with the bombers to cause explosions on the transport network or at tourist attractions in the capital.

Those charged are Mohammed Shakil, 30, Sadeer Saleem, 26, and Waheed Ali, 23, formerly known as Shipon Ullah.

All three are from Beeston, Leeds, the northern city that was home to three of the four July 7 suicide bombers. They were arrested on March 22.

''The allegation is that they were involved in reconnaissance and planning for a plot with those ultimately responsible for the bombings on July 7,'' said Sue Hemming, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counter-terrorism division.

The four bombers died and more than 900 commuters were injured in the co-ordinated morning rush-hour attacks. British police have said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda.

Peter Clarke, head of London police's Counter Terrorism Command, said more arrests are likely.

''We now have enough of the pieces in the right place for us to be able to see a picture that is far from complete,'' he said.

''The search is not over. I firmly believe that there are other people who have knowledge of what lay behind the attacks of July 2005.''

Reuters