News Brief – November 1, 2006
The two brothers arrested on suspicion of being involved in a plot to blow up US-bound passenger jets were freed Thursday after a judge ruled there was
"insufficient evidence" to try them.
Mehran Hussain, 24, and Umair Hussain, 25, both of Chingford, east London, had been accused of failing to disclose information about their brother Nabeel, a suspect in the alleged conspiracy.
Nabeel Hussain is one of 9 men still being held after British police and security services claim to have foiled a plot to bomb transatlantic flights after a massive police swoop on August 10.
District Judge Quentin Purdy
discharged the pair following a committal hearing at the City of Westminster magistrates' court in central London.
Claims about the alleged plot sparked a massive security clampdown, which led to widespread disruption at British airports at the height of the summer holiday rush.
On August 10, deputy commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police Paul Stephenson declared that a plan to “cause untold death and destruction” and “mass murder on an unimaginable scale” had been foiled with the arrest of 24 people.
Police claimed to have gathered
'Immense' evidence of the plot.
Odd then that the two, who were held in custody for nearly three months, were released because of "insufficient evidence". Of the 24 held at the start of police investigations only eleven have been charged and now charges against two of them have been dropped.
In contrast to the publicity and almost
melodramatic police statements that accompanied the initial stages of the investigation into the alleged "terror plot", the release of the two has garnered very little
media attention.
After two earlier "terror" scares had earlier proved unfounded, Muslim leaders warned that a third case would add to growing resentment and sense of persecution among Britain's Muslims.
Don’t be surprised then if more of the alleged “terror” suspects are released as these two were, with very minimal publicity.
Last updated 28/12/2006
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