This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1184

UK tabloid interview leads to arrest of man recruited to be one of the London bombers

October 23, 2005

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/10/23/uk.arrest.ap/

London bombing 'recruit' arrested

LONDON, England (AP) -- British police said Sunday they arrested a man who reportedly said he was asked to join the group of suicide bombers who attacked London in July.

London's Metropolitan Police said anti-terrorist officers arrested a 27-year-old man in the Dewsbury area of West Yorkshire late Saturday.

He was arrested on suspicion of the "commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism," a police spokesman said.

He said the arrest was in connection with the investigation into the July 7 bombings that killed 52 commuters and four suicide attackers, and followed a report in the News of the World tabloid newspaper.

He spoke on condition of anonymity, as is customary with British police officials.

The spokesman added that officers had searched two addresses in the Dewsbury area, which was the home of suspected suicide bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30.

The suspect was being questioned at a police station in the West Yorkshire area, he said.

The News of the World reported Sunday that a British Muslim, Imran Patel, told the paper that Khan had asked him to join the bombing mission.

Patel reportedly said he decided not join the bombing team after it suggested attacking a school where children would be the victims.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4370936.stm

Police quiz man over London bombs

Bombers targeted three tube trains on 7 July Police are continuing to question a man held in connection with the London transport network bomb attacks of 7 July, which killed 52 people. Imran Patel, a 27-year-old business auditor, was arrested at his home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on Saturday. Anti-terrorist branch officers have been granted a warrant allowing him to be detained until Thursday. The man is being held on suspicion of the commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism. He remains in custody at a police station in West Yorkshire. Officers have also been searching two residential addresses in the Dewsbury area, including the home address of Mr Patel. Officers retrieve material from Imran Patel's Dewsbury home The arrest follows a tip-off by the News of the World newspaper. The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We thank the News of the World for bringing this matter to our attention and material passed to police by the newspaper is now being assessed by the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch." A spokesman said the arrest had been prompted by alleged comments the man made in the newspaper. Three suicide bombers blew themselves up on Tube trains at Russell Square, Aldgate and Edgware Road stations on 7 July. A fourth bomber blew up a double decker bus in Tavistock Square. The latest suspect is the only man being held in connection with the attacks of 7 July, although several others have been arrested and released without charge. --------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1577736,00.html

BBC refuses to hand over Islamist tape

Met demands to see full interviews with radical Muslim preachers

Jamie Doward, social affairs editor
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has instructed the Met to obtain the full, unedited 'rushes' of interviews with two controversial Islamic preachers, broadcast in August on Newsnight

The CPS wants to establish whether there are grounds to prosecute Abu Uzair, a former leading light of the radical al-Muhajiroun movement and a leader of the Saviour Sect, an Islamic group whose members include those who have allegedly endorsed suicide bombings. Prosecutors are also considering bringing a case against another radical cleric, Abu Izzadeen.

Uzair told Newsnight: 'We don't live in peace with you any more. The banner has been risen for jihad inside the UK.' In the same programme, Izzadeen said the bombings would make people 'wake up and smell the coffee'. The interviews prompted widespread public revulsion.

The CPS has considered bringing a number of charges against the two, including incitement to treason, solicitation of murder and incitement to withhold information known to be of use to police. The Met approached Newsnight requesting copies of the interviews earlier this month, but the programme declined to hand over the full material. However, it is believed to have offered transcripts of the broadcast.

On 9 September, an application was made to recover all the interview material.

But last night the BBC showed little sign it was prepared to give up the tapes without a fight. 'The Metropolitan Police has agreed to provide us with further information so we can consider its application properly,' said a spokeswoman for the programme.

She declined to comment further, but it is believed the broadcaster believes handing over the material could compromise its journalistic independence.

Newsnight assistant editor Ben Rich wrote an online article defending the interviews shortly after they were broadcast. 'The issue of extremism is a very difficult one for broadcasters, and sadly often causes offence. It was our view that it was a legitimate part of our role to identify and demonstrate these problems, and discuss how they should be addressed,' Rich wrote.

The CPS made a similar request for co-operation from the Sunday Times, which earlier this year sent a reporter into the Saviour Sect. The paper's investigation led to allegations the Saviour Sect encouraged its followers to commit acts of violence.

One of the sect's leaders, Omar Bakri Mohammed, was quoted as telling supporters shortly after the London bombings: 'For the past 48 hours, I'm very happy.' Two weeks later, he referred to the bombers as the 'fantastic four'. The newspaper handed all its material to the police. The CPS is considering whether to bring charges against Bakri if he returns to the UK.

Orders for broadcasters to hand over videotape are not unknown. Earlier this month police investigating disorder during the G8 summit issued a court application to seize footage from BBC Scotland and Scottish Television.

In 2002 in Belfast, Judge Patrick Markey - in secret session - ordered the BBC and Ulster Television to hand over their footage of rioting in Drumcree.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police declined to comment.

Patel also told the paper that he would never attack a target in Britain but would willingly do so abroad. He said he has a young Muslim friend who is close to launching an atrocity in Britain, the paper reported.

Patel agreed to speak to the News of the World to make people "understand that Jihad is valid," the paper reported. Jihad is an Arabic word that refers to the Islamic struggle to do good. Many extremist Muslims use it to refer to Holy War.

"We thank the News of the World for drawing the matter to our attention and material passed to the police by the newspaper is being assessed by the Anti-Terrorist Branch," the Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

Police have not charged anyone in connection with the July 7 attacks.

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1184