Groups 'on verge of London attack'

GROUPS sympathetic to al-Qaida are preparing large-scale attacks against London, the leader of an Islamic group suspected of having ties to the extremist network said in remarks published yesterday.

Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, the head of the London-based group Al-Muhajiroun, added in an interview with the Portuguese daily Publico that last month's deadly Madrid train bombings were carried out by an independent group who back Osama bin Laden's organisation.

"There are many youths who dream of joining al-Qaida, but worse than that, there are many freelancers who are willing to launch operations similar to those by al-Qaida," he said.