Police search Luton property in Stockholm bomb probe

British police were searching a property in Luton today as part of a probe into a suspected suicide car bombing in Sweden at the weekend.

Metropolitan Police officers started examining the house last night, after a warrant was issued under the Terrorism Act 2000.

A terraced property in the Bedfordshire town was cordoned off today, with officers seen going in and out.

The UK police operation follows Saturday’s blast in a busy Stockholm street and subsequent reports that a man killed by the blast lived in Luton and studied at the University of Bedfordshire.

He has been named in several reports as Iraqi-born Swede Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, 28.

He apparently blew himself up as he tried to set off a car bomb in the Swedish capital, wounding two other people.

Al-Abdaly listed himself on Muslim dating website Muslima as a physical therapy graduate from Bedfordshire University.

According to The Daily Telegraph, he lived in Luton and neighbours last saw him two and a half weeks ago.

Tahir Hussain, 33, a taxi driver who lives nearby, told the paper: “I used to see him around often. He didn’t say much but seemed nice. I used to see him walking with his kids.

“I was shocked when I heard what happened because I never thought he could do such a thing.”

More than 250 people have joined a group set up on Facebook titled “RIP Taimour Abdulwahab our brother and friend”.

Scotland Yard said: “At 10.55pm last night, Metropolitan Police officers executed a search warrant under the Terrorism Act 2000 at an address in Bedfordshire.

“No arrests have been made and no hazardous materials found.”

Al-Abdaly was apparently looking for a second wife.

He wrote on Muslima that he was born in Baghdad and moved to Sweden in 1992 before coming to the UK in 2001.

He said he was married in 2004 and had two young girls.

“I want to get married again, and would like to have a big family. My wife agreed to this,” he wrote.

He said he was looking for a practising Sunni Muslim who loves children and “wants to please Allah before me”.

He described himself as economically “OK” and said that when he had extra money he gave it to the needy.

“In the future, am looking for to move to a Arabic country and settle down there...” al-Abdaly added.

Bedfordshire University was not available to comment last night.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We remain in close contact with the Swedish authorities.

“It would be inappropriate to comment on their ongoing investigation at this time.”

The suspected bomber was the only fatality caused by the attack on Saturday night although two people were wounded.

Experts said the bomber probably did not succeed in detonating all the explosives and could have caused much greater damage.

An audio file sent to Swedish news agency TT shortly before the blast referred to jihad, saying: “Now the Islamic state has been created. We now exist here in Europe and in Sweden. We are a reality. I don’t want to say more about this. Our actions will speak for themselves.”

Sweden has a military presence in Afghanistan and a Swedish cartoon that depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a dog enraged the Muslim world.

The country had never experienced a suicide bombing and has not had a terrorist attack since the 1970s.

Prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said the attack was “unacceptable”.

He said: “Sweden is an open society... which has stated a wish that people should be able to have different backgrounds, believe in different gods... and live side by side in our open society.”