Hujnt for British suicide bomber

Israeli security forces were today hunting for a man holding a British passport who they say attempted a suicide bomb attack on a Tel Aviv beachfront bar.

Omar Khan Sharif escaped after his device failed to detonate, according to Israeli reports.

But his fellow bomber, also carrying a British passport identifying him as Asif Mohammed Hanif, blew himself up, killing three people.

Sharif was reported to have scuffled with bystanders at the bar called Mike’s Place, before making off.

Clear images of the rear pages of the men’s British passports – showing their photos and personal details – were broadcast on news channels and Israeli newspaper Haaretz’s website.

Sharif, aged 27 and born in Derby, is now being hunted by police and the Israeli security service Shin Bet.

The attack came just a few hours before the publication yesterday of the “road map” outlining a peace settlement in the Middle East.

Drawn up by the UN, the US, Russia and the European Union, the road map aims to create a Palestinian state by 2005.

It was presented to Israeli premier Ariel Sharon and to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who was sworn in yesterday.

Israeli police were reported to have confirmed that two men with British passports entered Israel from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

Israeli security sources said the Shin Bet had been on the lookout for possible militants using Western passports.

British security services are believed to be working to establish whether the passports were forgeries.

The suicide bombing happened at the pub on Herbert Samuel Street at 1am local time yesterday (10pm on Tuesday night).

Mike’s Place is close to the US Embassy, and a popular spot with tourists. The embassy was not damaged in the blast.

Hanif, 21, was said to have set off the explosives at the entrance to the pub after the security guard on duty at the door physically prevented him from entering.

Two men and one woman were killed in the blast – along with the bomber – and 60 people wounded.

Foreign Office minister Mike O’Brien yesterday told the BBC2 Newsnight programme that the British Government was trying to help the Israelis establish the identities of the bombers.

“We will cooperate fully with the Israeli authorities in providing any information we can to assist in the identification of the individual who died, and also I understand from the Israelis someone escaped,” he said.

“They certainly were carrying, it appears, British passports, therefore we need to help them get the one that’s escaped and identify the other one.”

The bombing was claimed as a joint operation by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed offshoot of Yassir Arafat’s Fatah movement, and the armed wing of Hamas, the hardline Islamic group.

Israeli news website Debka said the men were suspected of being al Qaida or Hezbollah operatives.

Official sources told Debka that the bomb contained “unfamiliar substances”.

The place of birth on Hanif’s passport was listed as Bhowanj.

Mr Abbas, in his inaugural speech, spoke out against the suicide bombing, saying: “We condemn this attack strongly.”

Of the new step toward peace in the region, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the prize was enormous: “Peace and security for Israel, living side by side with an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state.

“So I hope that both sides will respond positively and start implementing the road map without delay.

He added: “The road map provides the route to a permanent two-state solution. It includes the clear phases, time-lines and bench-marks.

“It places clear but fair obligations on both sides to achieve a final and comprehensive settlement by 2005.

“There is now a real opportunity for both sides to work, with the strong support of the international community, to achieve a just and lasting settlement.”

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: “We in Britain, together with the rest of the international community, will do everything we can to support them, including action by us to help the security forces of both sides to bear down on the kind of terrible indiscriminate violence from rejectionist groups that we saw overnight.”