Man charged over failed London bomb attacks

A 23-year-old man arrested in connection with the July 21 failed bomb attacks on London's transport network has been charged under British terrorism laws, the police said yesterday.

He is the first person to be charged as part of the investigation into the attacks, but is not one of the four men suspected of being a would-be bomber.

Ismael Abdurahman, from Kennington in south London, has been charged with hindering the police investigation by protecting a possible suspect, said a police spokeswoman.

He will appear in a London court today. British police believe all four men they were hunting over the failed July 21 bombings on three underground trains and a bus have now been captured.

Three are in custody in Britain, a fourth in Rome. Earlier, Britain formally requested that Italy extradite Hamdi Issac, arrested last week in Rome, and said they hoped the process could be completed by the end of the year.

British police also said a man arrested in Brighton, in southern England, was released without charge.

In addition to Abdurahman, British police said they were holding 14 suspects in connection with the botched attacks after a total of 37 arrests.

The attempted bombings came two weeks after four young British Muslim men killed themselves and 52 other people with bombs, also on three underground trains and a bus.

The charge against Abdurahman reads: "Between July 23 and July 28 he had information he knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of another person in the UK for an offence involving the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism."