From Leeds to London: A day of terror unfolds

WE now know that there were four bombers. Two of them are dead. And two are more than likely dead.

We know they travelled from Leeds and police have CCTV footage of the four bombers meeting in King's Cross before they dispersed on their deadly mission.

All three Tube trains which were hit passed through King's Cross on the morning of the blasts.

One of the bombers planted his 10lbs of explosive on a train at King's Cross and timed it to go off at 8.51am.

Two more bombers set off together and took trains through Aldgate and Edgware Road, again timing their 10lbs of explosive, probably packed in a rucksack, to go off at 8.51am.

The three Tube blasts at Aldgate, King's Cross and Edgware Road occurred within a minute of each other at 8.51am.

The fourth bomber's intended destination is unknown but we know he ended up on the No 30 bus in London's Tavistock Square. The bus came from King's Cross, but it seems unlikely the bomber was meant to detonate it there.

The bomb on the bus went off 57 minutes after the Tube bombs detonated, so either this was a deliberate strategy pack the bus with passengers who couldn't get into Tube stations closed because of the bombs or an accident.

Witnesses reported seeing an "olive-skinned man" panicking as he rummaged through a bag on the upper deck of the No 30 bus.

Police don't know whether he was trying to defuse the bomb, or whether he deliberately detonated it, killing himself. In any case, the bus bomber provides the link to yesterday's raids in Yorkshire.

DNA tests on reconstructed body parts of the bus bomber helped lead detectives to Yorkshire.

However, the bombers appear to be the security services' worst nightmare, so-called "clean skins", apparently ordinary young men who had not previously come to the attention of the authorities.

The investigation has already established that personal documents bearing the names of three of the four men were found close to three of the explosions.

Property in the name of the suspected bus bomber reported missing by his family on the morning of July 7 was found on the No 30.

Property of a second man was found at Aldgate, and property belonging to a third was found at Aldgate and Edgware Road.

British police assembled a team of experts from 27 different countries at the weekend, including a representative from Ireland, to assist in the manhunt.

Police believe they now know who the bus bomber was, leading them to the addresses in Yorkshire, one of which was the bomber's home address.

Two of the other three bombers were also from West Yorkshire, and their addresses were among six homes targeted in dawn raids in Leeds yesterday.

One man was arrested yesterday after the raids.

Police later shut Luton rail station and seized a car.

Trains from Leeds arrive at King's Cross and pass through Luton. It may be that police believe the bus bomber or the entire gang drove from Leeds to Luton, left a car at Luton, boarded the train and assembled again at King's Cross.

Deputy assistant commissioner Peter Clarke, the head of the Metropolitan police's anti-terrorism branch, said CCTV footage at King's Cross station showed the four suspected bombers together just before 8.30am.

Officers searched a number of properties for "explosives and computers".

A house in Lees Holm, Dewsbury, south of Leeds, was surrounded by police.

Scaffolders arrived in the afternoon and began erecting a platform at the rear of the property. Police officers guarded the front of the terrace house and a police van blocked off the road, preventing people from accessing the scene.

Forensic investigators could be seen entering the house wearing masks and protective suits.

Neighbours on the council estate said an Asian couple lived there with a baby daughter.

It is believed the baby is aged about eight or nine months, a resident said.

Neighbour Sara Aziz, 28, a mother of two, said: "She left with the police this morning wearing a veil. He wasn't there this morning. I last saw him last week."

The man was aged about 29, while his wife was several years younger.

Ms Aziz said they originally came from Pakistan but had moved from Leeds.