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July 23, 2006

UK: Tanweer, Muslim Bomber, Was "Brainwashed"

A report from the Insight team at the Sunday Times has the account of a childhood friend of Shehzad Tanweer (pictured) the 7/7 bomber who blew himself at Aldgate station, killing seven people and injuring 171.

There is a culture of silence in Beeston, where Tanweer had lived, and few people wish to speak to outsiders about what happened, for fear of being ostracised. Following an investigation, this friend of Tanweer has been speaking to an intermediary, and now has spoken directly to the Sunday Times.

The friend says that Tanweer was brainwashed by Mohammad Sidique Khan, who led the cell which carried out the London attacks. Khan had preached his message to kids as young as 12.

On the eve of the 7/7 attack, Tanweer had said to his friend: "Whatever you do or whatever happens, make sure you look after yourself." When questioned, Tanweer had said: "Nah, I'm not going anywhere. Just look after yourself."

The friend cites instances from Tanweer's youth, where he stopped smaller children from being bullied, and says that he had been "a good lad, nobody ever complained about him. Basically everybody thinks he was brainwashed."

"He had a nice family. His dad didn't have a beard or anything. His family weren't overly religious people."

Tanweer had indulged in gambling at casinos before coming under the thrall of militants such as Sidique Khan. Aged 20, Tanweer had grown his hair long and sported a beard, and at this time he stopped visiting casinos.

A youth club was set up at the Hardy Street mosque in 2001, and it was here that older men would visit, including Khan, who would speak of jihad, and "explain" how Muslims were being killed and raped.

Tanweer and Khan began to frequent the Iqra Islamic bookshop, where DVDs were being produced which glorified jihad. Martin Gilbertson had been called in to help with computer systems, and he claims he had reported his fears about Tanweer and Khan to Holbeck police in 2003. He was told to send documentation to West Yorkshire police HQ in Wakefield. Gilbertson sent DVDs he had worked on, and named Tanweer and Khan. He addressed the package to the anti-terrorism unit, and sent his address and phone, but no-one got back to him.

Gilbertson wrote recently in the Guardian: " I added a list of names, including Khan and Tanweer, plus the names of people from whom they were receiving emails. Some of those names were quite surprising, because they included people regarded as mainstream Muslim community leaders. I heard nothing back from the police. Not a word."

Khan was also involved in an Asian street-gang called the Mullah Crew. In 2004, this gang killed a black youth called Tyrone Clarke, for "insulting Islam". Gilbertson claimed that Tanweer had been brought in for questioning by police in relation to the killing, but was not among the four who were eventually charged and convicted for the crime.

The friend of Tanweer who spoke to the Sunday Times said that after Khan and Tanweer returned from their three month trip to Pakistan: "He just went back to normal life as if nothing had happened."

Tanweer's nickname was "Kaki". Hasib Hussain, who blew up the number 30 bus in Tavistock Square had also frequented the Iqra Islamic bookshop. "Kaki met him about two years ago when Hasib was about 16. He was a bit of a drop-out. A religious, quiet lad. He kept himself to himself", the friend said.

The friend says that after the bombing he was shocked, but had a feeling at the back of his thoughts that "Kaki" had been involved. "I was more shocked than upset, I couldn't believe it, he was just a normal lad . . . We played sports. We used to go to Alton Towers together."

What is perhaps most disturbing about the friend's revelations is his claim that there was a fifth bomber, who dropped out of the project at the eleventh hour.

The details, contained in another article in the Sunday Times, are that following the 7/7 attacks, the man admitted his involvement in the plot.

This individual is in his 30s and is a UK-born national from a Pakistani family. He is known to the Scotland Yard 7/7 investigation team, based in Bradford, but he has not apparently been interviewed by them.

The friend of Tanweer said: "They [the four suicide bombers] were supposed to meet him but he never turned up. Because they were on a time schedule they left without him. His brother had talked him out of it."

This may explain why there were unexploded bombs found in the Nissan Micra car which the three Pakistani terrorists had driven to Luton station, where they met the fourth bomber, Jermaine Lindsay and took the train to London to carry out their attacks.

The bombs contained the same explosive material (TATP) as that used in the 7/7 attacks, but these were in glass containers and contained nails. These smaller devices were "viable" bombs, but have been described by Hans Michels of Imperial College as "boosters" designed to trigger larger explosive devices.

There were large solid blocks of the explosive material in the car which was left at Luton station.

The Home Office report on the 7/7 attacks said there was no evidence of a fifth or other bombers, but police have not ruled out this possibility.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 23, 2006 7:57 AM

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