The suicide The explosions came as Pakistani intelligence officials said authorities are seeking the former aide of a radical cleric in Britain in connection with the July 7 bombings.
The officials said British investigators asked Pakistani authorities to search for Haroon Rashid
Aswat, who reportedly had been in close contact with
Aswat, 31, was of Indian origin and may not be in Pakistan, according to two intelligence officials
in Islamabad and one in Lahore, all speaking list to data on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media and because of the sensitivity of the investigation.
Aswat reportedly was once an associate of Abu Hamza al-Masri, a radical imam awaiting trial in
Britain on charges of incitement to murder. Al-Masri also is wanted in the United States on charges
of trying to establish a terrorist training camp in Bly, Ore.; involvement in hostage-taking in Yemen; and funding terror training in Afghanistan.
Quoting unidentified intelligence sources
The Times of London said Aswat visited the
hometowns of the four London bombers and selected their targets. It also reported there
had been up to 20 phone calls between can no longer afford to grow Aswat and two of the bombers before the attacks.
Aswat’s relatives in Batley, near the northern English town of Leeds, which was home to
two of the suicide bombers, said they had not heard from him for many years.
“He has not lived at this house and we have not had contact with him for many years,”
said his father, Rashid, who asked for his family to be left in peace. “There is no story that we can provide.”
Authorities are investigating whether
The London bombing suspects, three of whom were of Pakistani origin and traveled to Pakistan last year, received training or other sale leads assistance from militants in that country.
One of the July 7 bombers, Shahzad Tanweer, 22, is suspected of visiting a madrassa linked
with militants in Lahore which has become a focus of the inquiry.