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US seeks custody of Pak suicide bomber

Shyam Bhatia in London | November 28, 2003 16:59 IST

US anti-terrorist experts seeking access to suicide bomber suspect, Sajid Badat, have been told he could be released in a week because as a British born national, he is not subject to the UK's strict anti-terrorism legislation.

Badat, 24, was arrested on Thursday at his home in Gloucester after police found explosives in his home.

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A second home in Gloucester has since been raided by Scotland Yard anti-terrorist squad detectives. A police spokeswoman said the second raid was part of their ongoing investigations.

A relative commenting on Badat's arrest said, "This has come as a complete shock. He is nothing more than a friendly, sociable, normal young lad who has lots of friends and does not hold extreme views in any way."

His father, a factory worker, has been described as a 'caring man.'

The son of migrants, who came to the UK from Malawi, Badat has been described by friends as bright, hardworking and sporty. He graduated from the local grammar school with 10 GCSE passes and four 'A' levels.

After leaving school, Badat opted for a religious education, enrolling for a year at an Islamic college in Blackburn, Lancashire. The college offers a wide range of courses, including the history of Islam and the Koran, with opportunities for higher studies.

At the age of 18, Badat left for Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is believed to have spent some time at Al Qaeda's Khalden camp south of Kabul, which also hosted shoe bomber Richard Reid.

UK security experts believe Khalden camp was used exclusively for training suicide bombers to be deployed in Europe. Some 20 Algerian bombers thought to be on the loose somewhere in the UK are also believed to have been trained in Khalden.

The camp specialised in training its recruits in the use of two explosives, PETN and TATP. Badat has been characterised as a clever bomb maker and is said to be adept at making use of both types of explosives.

Three other British Pakistanis have been involved in suicide attacks.

Bilal Mohammed, aged 24, from Birmingham, joined Harakat-ul-Ansar and blew himself up in Srinagar at the end of 2001.

Last year, Asif  Muhammed Hanif, 22, from Hounslow, and 27-year-old Omar Khan Sharif from Derby died after attempted suicide attacks at a Tel Aviv night club in Israel.

 


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