Posted on 07/27/2005 11:15:11 AM PDT by traumer
Suspected bomber Yasin Hassan Omar has been arrested by police in Birmingham investigating the failed 21 July attacks in London.
Omar, 24, suspected of the attack near Warren Street Tube station, was held in a dawn raid after being stunned with a Taser gun, the BBC has learnt. It is believed a rucksack he was carrying at the time was thrown out of a window by officers.
He is now thought to be at London's Paddington Green police station.
In other developments:
* Police searched two properties in Enfield and Finchley, north London
* Two people were held in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on a train travelling to King's Cross, under the Terrorism Act 2000 at 2300 BST on Tuesday following information from two off-duty Met police officers. The two were released without charge on Wednesday after police said they were not connected to a terrorist threat
* A man who was detained under the Terrorism Act at Luton Airport has been allowed to continue his journey to Nimes in France. Police said they had responded to reports the man looked like one of the bombing suspects and he was held while his identity was checked
* The body of innocent Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, who was shot by officers at Stockwell Tube, is to be returned to Brazil for a funeral
* Prime Minister Tony Blair described the Birmingham arrests as "an important development".
In Birmingham, shortly after the man believed to be Omar was arrested early on Wednesday, a further three men were detained at a separate address and were being held in the city. The first man was arrested in Heybarnes Road, in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, at 0430 BST on Wednesday, and later taken to London.
A suspect device found with him is being examined and a controlled explosion is planned.
WHO IS BEING HELD? 27 July - Man arrested in Small Heath, Birmingham 27 July - Three men arrested in Ward End, Birmingham 25 July - Man arrested near Curtis House, north London 24 July - Man arrested near Curtis House 23 July - Man arrested in Tulse Hill, south London. Held until 30 July 22 July - Two men arrested in Stockwell, south London. One was released on 27 July and the second is still being held
His detention followed a joint operation between West Midlands Police and officers from the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch.
The BBC's home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said a key question is whether the suspect will co-operate with police.
Police will want to know where the other three men are, who was the mastermind behind the 21 July bombings, and - if they are linked to the 7 July bombings - who the mastermind was behind the first attack, our correspondent said.
In exchange for such information, a suspect could expect a "discount" on any possible sentence, he said.
Railway station
Although the suspect was shot with a stun gun, police say no firearms were used.
They are capable of killing again - we must find them Sir Ian Blair - Met Commissioner
Tracks of the bomb suspects Q&A: Taser guns Have Your Say
Following Army advice on the suspect package, residents of about 100 neighbouring homes were evacuated.
A second address in Bankdale Road, in Ward End, Birmingham, was raided a little later, and three men were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Forensic tests are taking place at both addresses in Birmingham.
Mr Blair praised the police for their efforts, saying they have "been working extraordinarily hard on this and have shown a tremendous amount of commitment and dedication to the task in hand".
"I think it is an important development," he added.
'Flat out'
Meanwhile, a flat in north London linked to two of the 21 July suspects is being searched, and police say chemicals found there and in a garage may have been intended for use in explosives.
Bomb disposal officer in Birmingham Bomb disposal officers were called in to deal with a suspect device
A resident living near the flat said she had seen one of the suspects outside her home on the day after the failed bombings.
Police have linked Omar and Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27 - also known as Muktar Mohammed Said - to the flat in the 12-storey Curtis House, in Ladderswood Way, New Southgate.
A white VW Golf, seized in nearby East Finchley on Tuesday, may have been used by one of the suspects, security sources said.
Before Wednesday morning's arrests, five people had been held under anti-terror laws in connection with the inquiry.
None of them is thought to have been among the failed bombers and one was released on Wednesday.
Oh no, they used TASER GUN ! :oO
Cut his head off.
I agree - "Cut his head off " and post the recording on the internet...
Amazing, that the words "Islam" and "Muslim" appear nowhere in this article. Just a random bomber type, the usual freak on the fringe of society, nothing to see here...
"Amazing, that the words "Islam" and "Muslim" appear nowhere in this article."
Any reason why they should?
It's only the identity of the perp and the motivation for his crime, that all.
Taser gun....The guy probably thought he would get shot and wouldn't have to worry about a silly interrogation. Excellent!!
Not exactly news though. I can't really see the pressing need to demand that the media tell me things that I already know.
It's sooooooooo obvious how can anyone demand an explanation?
"Amazing, that the words "Islam" and "Muslim" appear nowhere in this article. Just a random bomber type, the usual freak on the fringe of society, nothing to see here..."
It could be a nice precedent:
"Speaking in the Vatican yesterday, The Pope (a Catholic), said..."
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