Monday, July 11 2005 14:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: About 30 al-Qaeda fighters, including Mustafa Setmariam Nasar of Syria and Mohammed al Gerbouzi, a Moroccan have been identified by counter-terrorism officers as the most likely suspects behind the London bombings which killed 50 people and injured 700 others.

The mixture of foreign and British-born suspects are being investigated as part of a massive inquiry to track down those responsible for last Thursday's (July 7, 2005) attacks, a media report said today (July 11, 2005).

The cell responsible is believed to number from four to 12 people, 'The Independent' daily said quoting anti-terrorist sources.

It said an initial group of about 30 key suspects has been identified from the hundreds of pieces of intelligence collected by Mi5 and Mi6, Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch, and the bugging centre at the Government Communication Headquarters in Cheltenham.

The material included phone taps and reports from foreign agents and police forces.

Among the suspects being investigated is the person believed to have organized last year's Madrid train attacks in which 191 people were killed. Spanish intelligence officers have flown to London to help the police.

They were among 100 senior police officers from forces across the world that gathered at Scotland Yard in central London over the weekend to share information.

British intelligence officers are concentrating on trying to identify an individual bomber, or one of their supporters, which they hope will lead to the rest of the terror unit.

"It is from investigating individuals that you find out who they are associated with and how they operate," a counter-terrorist source told the newspaper.

"The unit involved could be anything from three to four to about a dozen," the source said.

Among the 30-odd key suspects being investigated by British intelligence officers is Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, a 47-year-old Syrian, who is believed to be in hiding in Iraq or on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Nasar is considered to be a likely suspect because he has lived in London and has contacts here going back 10 years. He is known to have organized terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and is believed to be the mastermind behind the Madrid train bombings.

Another suspect is Mohammed al Gerbouzi, a Moroccan, who is wanted for questioning in connection with attacks in Casablanca and Madrid.

He has been granted British citizenship, but is believed to be in hiding in London. Intelligence agencies are increasingly finding al-Qaeda suspects are becoming familiar with how they operate and are taking counter espionage measures, such as avoiding using mobiles and telecommunications that can be bugged.

Mi5 and anti-terrorist police have previously identified British-born Muslim extremists, who had the training and skills to make high-explosive bombs similar to the ones detonated on the Underground Tube and on a bus in London.

At least one such individual has been arrested by the authorities, the report said.