London bomber linked to 2003 Israel attack -report
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-17 13:31

JERUSALEM - One of the suspects in last week's London bombings visited Israel in 2003 and is believed to have helped plan a suicide bombing by two British Muslims in Tel Aviv, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday.

Citing Israeli security sources, Maariv daily said that Mohammad Sidique Khan, who police believed blew himself up aboard the Underground train at Edgware Road on July 7, traveled to the Jewish state two years ago.

During his trip, Khan helped two fellow Britons of Pakistani descent, Asif Hanif and Omar Sharif, carry out a suicide bombing at a Tel Aviv beachfront bar on April 30, 2003 that killed three Israelis, Maariv said citing security sources.

Hanif blew himself up at Mike's Place bar, but Sharif fled after apparently failing to detonate his bomb. His body was discovered in the sea a week later, and investigators concluded that he had drowned.