TWO suspected bombers at the centre of the biggest manhunt in British history came to the UK 13 years ago as children of asylum seekers.
One was granted a British passport last year.
Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, who is also known as Muktar Mohammed Said, and Yasin Hassan Omar, 24, both identified by police in connection with last week's attempted terrorist outrages in London, were not asylum seekers themselves but arrived as dependants, the Home Office said.
The pair, and two other men, are believed still to be at large following the four failed bombings last Thursday. There were fears three suspects returned to their bomb factory flat to retrieve explosives to allow them to carry out more attacks.
Police searching Omar's former flat in north London are understood to have found a large amount of "possible explosives" and material linked to that at a nearby underground garage.
Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police commissioner, said the findings at the flat and garage were "significant".
He pointed out the July 7 bombings and the failed ones on July 21 were similar, but there was at present no direct link. "We will undoubtedly find these people."
The Home Office said Ibrahim and Omar had been legally resident for more than 10 years. Ibrahim arrived from Eritrea as a dependant in 1992, aged 14, and was granted exceptional leave to remain.
In November 2003, he applied for naturalisation as a British citizen and was issued with his passport last September. Omar, a Somalian national, was 11 when he arrived in 1992. He was granted exceptional leave to remain until May 2000, when he was granted indefinite leave to remain.
Both are thought to have been living in a one-bedroom flat on the ninth floor of a 12-storey tower block in New Southgate, north London, where the bombs for the attempted attacks are believed to have been made.
Ibrahim is suspected of attempting to blow himself up on a No 26 bus, and Omar of attempting to detonate his device on the Tube near Warren Street. Detectives believe they may all be hiding in a safe house in London. There are also concerns a fifth would-be bomber is on the loose after a device was found in Little Wormwood Scrubs, west London, on Saturday.
Armed police yesterday swooped on a car in East Finchley a few miles from the flat. Security sources believe one of the attempted bombers could have been in the white VW Golf at some point.
Five people have now been arrested in connection with the failed bombings. None of those, all held under the Terrorist Act, is thought to be among the bombers.
Ibrahim's family said they were shocked and had gone to a police station as soon as they saw his photograph on the news. In a statement they said: "He is not a close family member. He has not visited here for many months. The family wish to express their shock regarding recent events."
Tony Blair promised Britain would give "not one inch" to suicide bombers in the UK or around the world. The prime minister said the 9/11 attacks were for him a "wake-up call" about the nature of the threat from Islamic terrorism. He warned too many around the world had taken notice for a short time and then "turned over and went back to sleep."
One was granted a British passport last year.
Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, who is also known as Muktar Mohammed Said, and Yasin Hassan Omar, 24, both identified by police in connection with last week's attempted terrorist outrages in London, were not asylum seekers themselves but arrived as dependants, the Home Office said.
The pair, and two other men, are believed still to be at large following the four failed bombings last Thursday. There were fears three suspects returned to their bomb factory flat to retrieve explosives to allow them to carry out more attacks.
Police searching Omar's former flat in north London are understood to have found a large amount of "possible explosives" and material linked to that at a nearby underground garage.
Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police commissioner, said the findings at the flat and garage were "significant".
He pointed out the July 7 bombings and the failed ones on July 21 were similar, but there was at present no direct link. "We will undoubtedly find these people."
The Home Office said Ibrahim and Omar had been legally resident for more than 10 years. Ibrahim arrived from Eritrea as a dependant in 1992, aged 14, and was granted exceptional leave to remain.
In November 2003, he applied for naturalisation as a British citizen and was issued with his passport last September. Omar, a Somalian national, was 11 when he arrived in 1992. He was granted exceptional leave to remain until May 2000, when he was granted indefinite leave to remain.
Both are thought to have been living in a one-bedroom flat on the ninth floor of a 12-storey tower block in New Southgate, north London, where the bombs for the attempted attacks are believed to have been made.
Ibrahim is suspected of attempting to blow himself up on a No 26 bus, and Omar of attempting to detonate his device on the Tube near Warren Street. Detectives believe they may all be hiding in a safe house in London. There are also concerns a fifth would-be bomber is on the loose after a device was found in Little Wormwood Scrubs, west London, on Saturday.
Armed police yesterday swooped on a car in East Finchley a few miles from the flat. Security sources believe one of the attempted bombers could have been in the white VW Golf at some point.
Five people have now been arrested in connection with the failed bombings. None of those, all held under the Terrorist Act, is thought to be among the bombers.
Ibrahim's family said they were shocked and had gone to a police station as soon as they saw his photograph on the news. In a statement they said: "He is not a close family member. He has not visited here for many months. The family wish to express their shock regarding recent events."
Tony Blair promised Britain would give "not one inch" to suicide bombers in the UK or around the world. The prime minister said the 9/11 attacks were for him a "wake-up call" about the nature of the threat from Islamic terrorism. He warned too many around the world had taken notice for a short time and then "turned over and went back to sleep."