Posted on 07/27/2005 9:09:35 PM PDT by TheOtherOne
Arrest breakthrough in London bomb hunt
By Bob Sherwood and Frederick Studemann in London
Published: July 27 2005 15:17 | Last updated: July 27 2005 21:15
Yasin Hassan Omar, one of the men suspected of trying to detonate bombs on London's transport network, was arrested on Wednesday following Britain's biggest manhunt. The arrest of the 24-year-old Somali is potentially the most significant breakthrough in the investigation into last Thursday's botched bomb attacks.
Mr Omar, suspected of trying to detonate a bomb near Warren Street Underground station, was seized in an early morning raid on a house in Birmingham where police used a Taser stun gun to disable him. He was taken to Paddington Green high security police station in London.
The first arrest of a suspected member of a home-grown suicide bomb cell offers investigators the clearest opportunity to gain knowledge of a British-based network which has so far eluded police. Investigators also will want to question Mr Omar about the suspected terror cell and the would-be bombers' support networks and financing, along with possible links to the attacks of July 7, which killed more than 50 people in London.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of the Metropolitan Police's anti-terrorist branch, confirmed the 4.30am arrest of Mr Omar while he was alone in the house in the Small Heath area of Birmingham. “This is of course an important development in the investigation. However, I would stress how important it is for members of the public to remain watchful and alert.”
He said police were still hunting Muktar Said-Ibrahim, suspected of trying to set off a bomb on a No 26 bus in east London, and two other would-be bombers who are still to be positively identified. A suspect package was found at the Birmingham address, prompting evacuation of the immediate area, police said.
Three other men were arrested under counter-terror legislation in a separate raid elsewhere in Birmingham.
Police released a new CCTV image of the man suspected of the attempted attack at Shepherd's Bush station.
He was pictured wearing a white vest on the No 220 bus from Wood Lane, near the station, to Wandsworth. As the investigation spread to the Midlands, another three properties in London were raided yesterday, including one in Stockwell, south London, near the underground station where three of the would-be bombers assembled last week. The other two were in Enfield and Finchley, north London.
Wednesday's raids came as investigations continued at a flat and garage in the north of the capital, registered in the name of Mr Omar.
Tony Blair said he was “heartened” by progress in the investigation and said the Birmingham arrest was “an important development”. He paid tribute to the police, saying that “it is very, very difficult to conduct these types of operations but they have done it with exemplary hard work and commitment”.
Wednesday's arrests come on top of the detention of five other people in the days since the failed attacks. However, one of the five identified simply as “A”, was released without charge.
With the other would-be bombers still at large police have warned of the danger of further attacks.
How does he repay Britain for saving his life and the life of his sister? He attempts to blow up his innocent fellow citizens in the name of islam.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless muslim immigrant.
Why, all of a sudden, won't the somalis' at my place of business look me in the eye?
That's OK, I'm WAY ahead of them.
If you know what I mean.
C'mon that is Mohammed's from 2000, I'm sure they are over that terrorism thing by now.
Watch your back.
My six is well covered, as it is with all of my close friends.
If you know what I mean.
3.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.