Woman in July bomb claims

Published on Tuesday 12 June 2007 00:10

THE former wife of a British Islamic extremist claims she was told three weeks before the 7 July attacks that "something big" was going to happen.

The woman, who has not been named for security reasons, also alleges that her husband suggested she carry out a suicide bombing in the UK.

In an interview for BBC2's Newsnight programme, she said the man - who is apparently linked to extremists sympathetic to Osama bin Laden - had asked her to participate in "jihad".

"He would tell me how to use a [bomb] belt around the waist," she said.

"Whenever he would discuss these matters, I just would ignore him and go to the kitchen.

"I told him I'm not interested at all. He was very clever. He told me how the girls tied the suicide belt around their waist and [wore] the hijab over the top."

The South Asian woman said her husband had been discussing a forthcoming attack three weeks before the London Underground bombings in 2005.

"He said that something would happen and he would flee, but I would be trapped. I told him I'm not going anywhere, I will stay," she said.

"He said all his other colleagues are sending their wives away, so I should leave as well.

"He doesn't care if British people die. He was so brainwashed by the radicals, he could do anything."

Programme editors said they had handed the information from the woman to police because it might help to tackle terrorism.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said last night: "Any material provided to us will be considered and appropriate action will be taken."