Suicide bomber was "quiet,pleasant young man" - UK Muslims claim they are the real victims of the bombers

"It is maybe something that whoever masterminded this held on to and waited to do exactly what they have done - cause more pain in this community." Bombers neighbor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/4208000.stm

Community disgust at bomber video

Few people were on the streets around Khan's former home

Khan, 30, had lived in a quiet road in Thornhill, Dewsbury, a racially-diverse suburb of the West Yorkshire town.

When news first broke of his part in the London bombings neighbours expressed their shock and disbelief.

But with the latest development, few people want to talk about the former resident they would now rather just forget.

'Forget about it'

The "quiet, pleasant young man" who lived on Lees Holm with his wife and young daughter has brought a focus on the area that nobody who lives there wants, or was prepared for.

Outside the local community centre, which sits in the middle of a run-down part of the estate opposite a boarded-up factory, one man summed up local feeling.

"We are sick of all this and just want to forget about it. I have got no comment to make (about the video) and you will find a lot of people around here saying the same."

The eldest of the four London bombers, Khan was responsible for the Edgware Road Circle Line explosion which killed six people and injured 120.

Watch the video

In his message broadcast on the al-Jazeera network, Khan attacked the UK government, describing himself as "a soldier".

The reaction on the streets of Beeston in Leeds, the inner-city area where Khan lived as a youngster, was one of anger and disbelief.

Irshad Hussain, who knew Khan when he lived in the area, told BBC News: "Just like anyone else who has been watching the video I think it's disgusting and it's horrible.

"We are all gutted here. It's devastating to see a young man like that talking about what he is going to do. It is a frightening thing for anybody to see."

Mr Hussain said he believed Khan's actions on 7 July - and the subsequent video message - were the work of a group determined to bring "hatred" into communities such as Beeston.

"They've tried blowing people up and nothing has happened - the community has stayed stronger than ever before.

"So this is another way of them trying to do something else to bring some hatred into the community."

But while none of the neighbours knew what Khan and the three other bombers were planning for 7 July, Mr Hussain said the appearance of the video suggested they had been plotting for up to a year.

"It looks like an older video. I you look at his age when he blew himself up and you look at the video he looks pretty much younger there.

"It is maybe something that whoever masterminded this held on to and waited to do exactly what they have done - cause more pain in this community."