Police probe foreign doctor terror theory

Police probe foreign doctor terror theory
By Stephen Fidler and Ben Hall
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: July 3 2007 03:00 | Last updated: July 3 2007 03:00



Police are investigating whether a network of foreign doctors was responsible for three failed bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.

Two doctors - one who qualified in Jordan and one in Iraq - were identified as being among eight people arrested in the investigation that followed two failed car bomb attacks early on Friday and an attempt to drive a car bomb into Glasgow airport on Saturday. Police said at least five of those arrested worked in the medical profession.

The police confirmed the arrest of two more people yesterday in the Glasgow area. Scotland Yard said last night that an eighth person had been arrested at an undisclosed location, although Reuters reported Australian officials said the suspect had been detained at Brisbane airport.

The developments are likely to trigger reviews of immigration procedures that allow foreign-qualified doctors into the UK to help fill shortages in the National Health Service.

The British Medical Association said it had already become harder since last year for doctors from outside Europe to take up training posts in the UK, following an increase in UK medical school graduates.

The manhunt continued for others connected to the plot.A person briefed on the investigation said that the number eventually arrested could double, and include more medicalpractitioners.

One of the occupants of the flaming car at Glasgow airport was named as Bilal Abdulla, who qualified in Baghdad as a doctor in 2004. He suffered severe burns in the attack and remained in a critical condition at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley - where he had been working.

Police said they carried out the controlled detonation of a vehicle in the grounds of the hospital, but said it was a precautionary move and there was no indication it contained explosives.

Mohammed Asha, who qualified as a doctor in Jordan in the same year, was arrested on Saturday night with his wifetravelling north on the M6.

The investigation has moved rapidly since two cars were found on Friday with the un-exploded devices inside. The cars have yielded many clues, including DNA evidence. Police have not released any pictures of the suspects in spite of plentiful closed circuit television coverage of the would-be bombers in London - suggesting they are confident they have found those who planted the devices or know who they are.

Britain's threat level yesterday remained at critical, indicating that another attack could be imminent.

Jacqui Smith, Britain's new home secretary, said searches had been carried out in at least 19 locations. She outlined extra security measures in force across the country, including high-visibility patrols, armed response vehicles, increased use of stop-and-search powers, and tighter controls on roads to airports.

In an emergency statement to parliament, Ms Smith thanked the public for "their patience and measured response to these events". In a change of tone from her predecessors in Tony Blair's government, Ms Smith steered clear of blaming the attacks on radical Islam or of evoking a "war on terror".

A Downing Street spokesman said the government wanted to pursue a more "consensual" approach to counter-terrorism.

The extra measures were on top of longer-term improvements to security. The police and intelligence services had already advised 450 sporting venues and 400 shopping centres on how to tighten security, she said.