London 'bomber' to be questioned

2005-08-09 09:59

Rome - British authorities were expected to question a suspect in the failed London bombings of July 21 at a hearing on Tuesday in the Rome prison where he is being held.

The hearing was expected to focus on Ethiopian-born Hamdi Issac's alleged role in a botched attack on the Shepherd's Bush subway station, Issac's lawyer, Antonietta Sonnessa, said.

Britain had requested the hearing, she said, but could not say which British authorities would be present.

"We will evaluate what to do on the basis of the information that we obtain from the English authorities," Sonnessa said as she arrived at Rome's Regina Coeli prison for the hearing.

Britain has asked for Issac's extradition, and a separate hearing on that request has been scheduled for August 17.

Domenico Massimo Miceli, the judge expected to preside over the August 17 extradition hearing, arrived at the Regina Coeli shortly after Sonnessa on Tuesday.

Sonnessa has suggested that her client, also known as Osman Hussain, would oppose the extradition request, saying he preferred to stay in Italy.

Issac is being held in Rome on international terrorism charges following his July 29 arrest in the Italian capital.

The failed July 21 bombings, which did not claim any victims, came two weeks after four suicide bomb attacks on the London transport system killed 52.

- AP