London bomb suspect charged in Rome

ONE of the July 21 suspected would-be suicide bombers was charged with terrorist offences in Italy yesterday.

Hussain Osman, also known as Hamdi Isaac, was charged with “association with the aim of international terrorism” and possessing false documents, his lawyer Antonietta Sonnessa said.

The Italian charging process is not the same as in Britain and it is unclear whether the move would lead to further legal tussles and delays to British attempts to extradite him.

Ms Sonnessa, a court-appointed lawyer, is known to want her client to face trial in Italy rather than Britain.

But earlier, a police chief said he was confident the suspect would be sent back to Britain quickly.

Carlo de Stefano, head of Italy’s anti-terrorism police, said: “I believe that it won’t take long.”

Mr de Stefano also revealed how Osman was tracked across Europe by hi-tech surveillance technology which was used to eavesdrop on his mobile phone conversations.

As investigators tuned in on Friday, hours before his arrest, Osman spoke in an obscure Ethiopian dialect used on the border of Somalia and Eritrea, which encouraged them they had the right man.

While on the run he also made a call to Saudi Arabia and detectives are investigating whether he had links to al-Qaida suspects there.

In London, police are still on high alert amid fears that a third terrorist cell could be plotting another strike on the capital following the July 7 and attempted July 21 attacks. Thousands of officers were on the streets guarding Tube and overland rail stations.

A total of 19 people, including Osman and the other suspected bombers, are now being held by police. Those in custody are suspected of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, or harbouring fugitives.