Islamic convert arrested after restaurant blast

A suspected Islamic convert with a history of mental illness is to be questioned by police on Friday in connection with an explosion at a restaurant in Exeter.

Nicky Reilly, 22, was arrested and taken to hospital after suffering minor injuries in the small blast in a branch of the family-orientated Giraffe restaurant chain in the centre of the city. Police were carrying out a search of his home in Plymouth. Although limited in scope,

Thursday's attempted attack was a reminder of earlier bombings and attempted bombings in the country. Reilly was the only person injured in the incident, carried out in the restaurant's toilets. Police later discovered and disarmed two other devices nearby.

"Our investigations so far indicate Reilly, who has a history of mental illness, had adopted the Islamic faith," said Tony Melville, deputy chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police. "We believe, despite his weak and vulnerable state, he was preyed upon, radicalised and taken advantage of."

The blast happened shortly before 1 p.m. at the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter's Princesshay shopping centre. Police said Reilly suffered cuts to his eyes and burns to his face, but his injuries were not life threatening. Security services say they have foiled numerous bomb plots in Britain since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. Four Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured hundreds of others when they exploded their home-made bombs on three underground trains and a bus at rush-hour in London on the morning of July 7, 2005.