How bomb plot manhunt unfolded

Here is a timeline of events before, on and after the attempted bombings in London on July 21, 2005.

* Pre-July 21, 2005

Muktar Said Ibrahim, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed, and Hussain Osman carry out preparations needed to unleash a deadly bomb attack in London.

The four, who were all born in East Africa and came to the UK in the 1990s, stock up on large quantities of hydrogen peroxide from hairdressing suppliers.

Omar's eighth-floor flat in New Southgate, north London, becomes the bomb factory.

They plan to carry the bombs - made of chapati flour and a mixture of hydrogen peroxide - in rucksacks.

Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 34, of no fixed address and Adel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London, are also involved in the plot.

It is remarkably similar to that executed by another group of terrorists on July 7, just three weeks before they are due to strike, in which 52 people die.

However, this attack is later revealed to be no copycat operation and one that had been months and probably years in the planning.

* July 21, 2005

Mohammed, Omar, Osman and Ibrahim spread out across London's transport system to detonate their home-made bombs.

Mohammed targets a train at Oval station in south London, Omar boards a train at Warren Street in central London, Osman heads for Shepherd's Bush while Ibrahim - the leader - gets on a bus in Shoreditch, east London.

Asiedu has a fifth bomb but fails to go through with his part of the plan and dumps it in a park at Little Wormwood Scrubs, west London.

None of the devices detonate properly and no-one is injured but London is once again gripped by fear.

The four men disappear and the UK's biggest ever manhunt begins, with the help of CCTV images of them in the run-up to the failed attacks.

Osman later leaves London for Brighton.

* July 22, 2005

Omar escapes to Birmingham wearing a full-length Islamic burkha.

* July 23, 2005

A park keeper finds the fifth bomb, dumped by Asiedu.

* July 26, 2005

Asiedu voluntarily goes to a police station in north London.

Osman flees the country via Eurostar.

* July 27, 2005

Omar is arrested in Birmingham after being stunned with a Taser gun.

* July 29,2005

Ibrahim and Mohammed are arrested in a flat in north Kensington.

Osman is arrested in Rome after police track him down through the use of his mobile phone.

* September 22, 2005

Osman is extradited back to the UK after losing his battle against extradition. He is formally charged with conspiracy to murder.

* December 20, 2005

Yahya is arrested after returning to the UK from Ethiopia. He is charged with conspiracy to cause explosions two days later.

* January 11, 2007

Trial of all six men begins at Woolwich Crown Court and takes six months to run its course. During proceedings, Asiedu sensationally breaks ranks and presents himself as a terrified man and unwilling participant in the attempted bombings.

* July 10, 2007

Ibrahim, Omar, Mohammed, and Osman are found guilty of conspiracy to murder.

The jury is discharged after failing to reach a decision on the remaining defendants Asiedu and Yahya.

* July 11, 2007

The four convicted men are given life sentences and told they will have to serve a minimum of 40 years.

Asiedu and Yahya are told they will face a retrial.

* October, 2007

Siraj Ali, 32, Muhedin Ali, 29, Ismail Abdurahman, 25, Wahbi Mohammed, 25, and Abdul Sherif, 30, go on trial at Kingston Crown Court accused of helping the July 21 bombers.

They include the brothers of bombers Ramzi Mohammed and Hussain Osman.

Between them they are charged with 27 counts of failing to disclose information about terrorism and assisting an offender.

The court is told that the five defendants helped the "bombers" and failed to report what they knew to police.

Four of the five had prior knowledge of the events of 21/7 and could have tried to stop them, the prosecution claimed.

* November 5, 2007

Yahya is jailed for six years and nine months after pleading guilty to collecting information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism in relation to the failed attacks.

The charge relates to buying hydrogen peroxide to produce explosives.

* November 20, 2007

Asiedu, the last of five would-be bombers to target London on July 21, 2005, is jailed for 33 years after admitting conspiracy to cause explosions.

The charge of conspiracy to murder is dropped.

* January 21, 2008

The jury in the trial of the five men accused of helping the July 21 "bombers" retire to consider their verdicts.

* February 4, 2008

All five men are found guilty of a total of 22 charges of failing to disclose information about terrorism and assisting an offender.

Siraj Ali and Wahbi Mohammed were also convicted of having prior knowledge of the July 21 plot.

Sherif and Muhedin Ali were cleared of prior knowledge charges. Sherif was also cleared of three further counts of failing to disclose information.