Egypt rejects chemist link to London bombings
Egypt said today that a detained chemist wanted by Britain for questioning over the London bombings had no links to the attacks nor to al-Qaida.
Government spokesman Magdy Rady was quoted by Egypt’s Middle East News agency as saying that a Cabinet meeting today reviewed an interior ministry report that “made clear that there is no link between Egyptian chemist Magdy al-Nashar and al-Qaida or the (London) bombings.”
Al-Nashar, who obtained a doctorate degree from Leeds University, was detained last week by Egyptian authorities at the request of the British government, which suspects that he had links to some of the four bombers, three of whom are from Leeds.
Meanwhile, Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told parliament that he will meet with the British ambassador in Cairo to discuss the latest developments in al-Nashar’s case.
Semi-official newspaper al-Ahram quoted a senior security official saying al-Nashar’s innocence was revealed in questioning.
“Through interrogations carried out by Egypt, the British side was assured that al-Nashar has no role in the explosions,” the paper quoted the unidentified official as saying on its front page.
El-Nashar reportedly has denied involvement in the London bombings and Egyptian security officials have said the country is not prepared to hand him over to Britain.
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