Police given extra time to quiz bomb suspects

British police are continuing today to question nine suspects held in custody over the alleged airline bomb plot.

Yesterday, officers were granted another week to hold eight of the suspects while a ninth suspect, named as Umair Hussain (aged 24), from east London, had his custody extended for another 24 hours.

The custody time-limit extensions were granted by a High Court judge sitting at City of Westminster Magistrates Court in central London.

Also yesterday, two other suspects were released without charge, including Tayib Rauf, 22, who had been in custody in Birmingham.

The alleged plot was to manufacture and smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices on to passenger jets and assemble, then detonate, them on board.

Under new anti-terror laws, which only came into force earlier this year, terror suspects can now be questioned for up to 28 days.

The extensions granted yesterday are the first time any suspects have been held beyond the previous 14-day limit.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “In all operations some people may be released without charge while others may remain in custody for further investigation.

“This is not unusual and is to be expected in large and complex criminal inquiries where a number of arrests have taken place.”

The judge’s decision means officers can hold eight of the suspects until August 30, and Umair Hussain until tonight. Police can apply for a further week’s custody on Wednesday.

Tim Rustem, Umair Hussain’s solicitor, said he was pleased the judge rejected a police application to hold his client for an extra week, adding that it was “a big victory”.

Mr Rustem said he was “optimistic” his client would be released without charge shortly.

He added that Hussain, one of three brothers arrested over the alleged plot, was “quite upset” about the way police treated him and wanted to speak out about it after his release.

Detectives investigating the alleged plot began searching a second area of woodland in Buckinghamshire yesterday.

Officers are searching Booker Common, the other side of High Wycombe from King’s Wood, which police have been combing for several days.

Earlier this week Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard’s Anti-Terrorist Branch, disclosed details of the “immense” scale of Operation Overt, adding that police had seized bomb-making equipment and other items including a number of martyrdom videos.

There had been 69 searches in houses, flats and business premises, vehicles and open spaces so far, he said.

At City of Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 11 people were remanded in custody in connection with the alleged plot.

The defendants included a young mother of an eight-month-old baby, her husband, and a 17-year-old youth.

In a series of short hearings, eight men, aged between 19 and 28, appeared before the court accused of conspiracy to murder and preparing an act of terrorism.

They are each charged with one offence of conspiracy to murder contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

The second charge is a new offence contrary to Section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006, alleging that they were preparing to smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices on to aircraft and detonate them on board.

All eight were remanded in custody until September 4, when they will reappear at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing.

They were escorted by police convoy to Belmarsh high security jail in Plumstead, east London.

The remaining three defendants appeared before the court later the same day charged with offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Two were remanded in custody until August 29 when they are expected to reappear before the magistrates court.

The third was also remanded in custody until August 29 but is next expected to appear in person on September 19.

All of the suspects were arrested in overnight raids on August 10.