London: Britain is harbouring an estimated 50 would-be suicide bombers who have roots in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, British media reported on May 4 quoting a leading London-based Islamic radical.

Hassan Butt, a self-styled recruiter of British volunteers for the Islamic holy war, said he had been approached by at least 50 men for guidance on how to carry out "martyrdom operations" in Israel and 20 of them are "absolutely serious" about what they planned to do.

"They are waiting for the right time, the right people. You don't just do it as individuals, you do it as an organisation. It's about screening them, testing them, making sure they are sincere. Then, when it's right, believe me they'll all be used," Butt said.

The warning came after last week's suicide bombing on a bar in Tel Aviv, which killed three people. The attack by Asif Mohammed Hanif, from Hounslow, west London, and Omar Khan Sharif, from Derby, was the first suicide by British citizens. Hanif blew himself up but Sharif fled when his bomb failed to detonate and is still on the run.

Detectives from Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch are questioning six people -- three men and three women --suspected to have links to the blast. They are being questioned at the high-security Paddington Green police station in Central London, on suspicion of helping to plan terrorist attacks.

Butt, according to the newspaper, claimed that he knew both British bombers but declined to elaborate. He claimed they were just the first of a significant number of Britons who were preparing to conduct similar attacks.

PTI