UK bomb suspects in NY subway twist

LONDON - Two suspected al Qaeda terrorists arrested on suspicion of planning to blow up a Manchester shopping centre are also alleged to be involved in a plot to plant bombs on the New York subway, it was revealed yesterday.

Abid Naseer and Tariq Ur Rehman were two of 11 men arrested in April last year on suspicion of being involved in a plot to blow up the Arndale centre, one of Manchester's busiest shopping centres. Police were unable to bring criminal charges against any of the men due to a lack of evidence. But yesterday Naseer and Rehman were named on an indictment which alleges that they planned to blow up underground trains in Manhattan.

Naseer, who was still living in Britain after a Home Office attempt to have him deported was rejected, and Rehman will now likely stand trial in the United States.

Following the police investigation last year, Rehman, 39, returned to Pakistan and later lost his appeal to return to Britain. But Naseer, 24, managed to remain in the UK, despite a Home Office attempt to have him deported on grounds that he was a security risk.

In May, the Special Immigration and Appeals Commission said it was satisfied that Naseer, the alleged ring-leader of a Manchester al Qaeda cell, was behind an imminent al Qaeda plot but refused to deport him because judges said he risked being tortured if he was sent home to Pakistan.

He remained in Britain and was living in the northeast of England before his arrest yesterday by the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit.

He will now face an extradition hearing. A judge will decide if Naseer can be extradited. Home Secretary Theresa May has the final say. At the time the Home Secretary said she was "disappointed" with the court's decision not to deport Naseer.

Senior US officials said the New York subway plot was one of the most dangerous since the 9/11 terror attacks.

* Three suspected al Qaeda members were arrested last night in Norway. The three men had been under surveillance for more than a year. Officials believe they were planning bomb attacks.

- Independent, AP