7/7 bomber 'loved' secret girlfriend

One of the 7/7 suicide bombers spent a night in a hotel with his secret girlfriend just days before carrying out the terror attacks.

The woman, identified as witness A, broke down in tears as she described how she believed Shehzad Tanweer had been in love with her.

They kept their relationship hidden from friends and family for more than three years, the July 7 inquest heard.

Hugo Keith QC, counsel to the hearing, asked her: "Did he give you any indication of his feelings for you?"

She replied: "Yes, I got good vibes from him that he loved me."

Tanweer, 22, and witness A spent the night of July 1 together in a hotel, just six days before the atrocities paralysed London.

But the woman told the London hearing she had no idea Tanweer had become radicalised or was planning to carry out the attacks in the coming days.

Instead he told her he was going to spend the following week on holiday in Scotland and had plans to see her on his return.

Mr Keith, said: "You spent the night together on July 1 2005 because you went to a hotel. Is that right?"

She replied "yes."

The couple were "close but not intimate" during their time in the hotel, she added.

Mr Keith continued: "In your witness statement you said he told you he was about to go away from a week. Where?"

She replied: "Scotland."

He added: "Who with?" to which she replied: "I assumed with family."

Asked what mood Tanweer had been in, she replied: "Fine."

The court heard that the woman and Tanweer had started secretly seeing each other shortly before 2002.

She described him as a sports fan who was not particularly religious but did observe Ramadan.

They lost touch but Tanweer reignited the relationship at the beginning of 2005 - sending her an unexpected text message explaining he was planning to move to Dubai with his family.

The couple kept in touch and met up again secretly in June 2005.

Witness A said on that occasion they had discussed spending their future together.

She explained: "We felt our relationship had got stronger."

Mr Keith asked: "Did you discuss what the future would hold for him?"

Witness A then broke down in tears.