German authorities were today searching for 10 suspected supporters of an Islamic group linked to al-Qaida who are believed to have assisted the three militants arrested earlier this week in their foiled bomb plot.

Suspects in an alleged plot to blow up US-bound jetliners apparently had some contacts with Germany, a senior German official was quoted as saying today.

Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden is alive and continues to exert influence in his al-Qaida network, Germany’s intelligence chief said today