Italy Extraditing London Bomb Suspect

One of the suspected suicide bombers in the failed July 21 attacks on London left prison in Rome this morning for extradition to Britain.

Hussein Osman, who is known as Hamdi Isaac in Italy, is accused of attempting to blow himself up on a train at Shepherd's Bush exactly two weeks after 52 people were murdered in four suicide blasts on the underground network.

Mr Osman will return to Britain on a military plane, as civilian airlines are unlikely to accept him. He is likely to appear in court later today or tomorrow.

The exact details of his extradition are a closely guarded secret. According to Mr Osman's Italian lawyer, Antonietta Sonnessa, even he has been told only that the journey will take place before Friday.

The lawyer, who bid her client a "calm farewell" yesterday, said: "He does not know when he will come back to England. It is top secret."

Sources in Rome said Ethiopian-born Mr Osman, 27, had been taken from his cell at the high-security Rebibbia jail on the outskirts of the city and was due to be placed on a military flight.

When he arrives in London he will be handed over to Scotland Yard detectives, who will formally arrest him under an outstanding domestic warrant.

Ms Sonnessa said he would be then interviewed, although briefly as he had already been questioned at length by British and Italian anti-terror police in Rome.

Mr Osman will then be charged with various offences relating to his alleged attempt to blow up a tube train on the same day as three other failed attacks in the capital. It is believed he will make his first court appearance at Bow Street magistrates' court.

During questioning with Italian police, Mr Osman claimed his "bomb" was packed with flour and was meant to scare people but not harm them.

Italian judges agreed to extradite Mr Osman last month but Ms Sonnessa appealed, saying he was unlikely to receive a fair trial in the UK. The appeal failed on September 13, giving the authorities 10 days to organise his return.

The attempted bombings on July 21 did not cause any casualties but brought chaos to London. The three other alleged would-be suicide bombers have already been charged over the failed bombings.

They are Ibrahim Muktar Said, 27, of Stoke Newington, in north London, Ramzi Mohamed, 23, of North Kensington, in west London, and Yassin Omar, 24, of New Southgate, in north London.

All three are charged with conspiracy to murder and making or possessing an explosive with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury on July 21.

Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 32, of Finsbury Park, north London, was also charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life.

The men have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance before a judge at the Old Bailey on November 14.