US suspect involved in 'very serious' plots

The US Attorney General today said the American arrested on suspicion of plotting to detonate a ‘dirty’ radiological bomb in the US was a key al-Qaida operative who has ‘‘very significant information’’ about the terror network.

John Ashcroft, who arrived in Budapest from Russia, said the US government believes Jose ‘‘Pucho’’ Padilla, also known as Abdullah al Muhajir, was ‘‘involved in very serious terrorist plots’’.