Friend says bombers did not act alone and appeals for information

In the wake of yesterday's reports, a friend of Shahzad Tanweer's family said he believed there were people in Leeds who could help the intelligence services and urged them to come forward.

Irshad Hussain, who also knew Mohammad Sidique Khan, said it was still a "complete mystery" to Tanweer's parents as to how and why he got involved in the 7 July plot.

Mr Hussain, who lives in the Beeston area of Leeds where three of the four bombers had connections, said he still did not believe they acted alone. He said: "I don't think they were capable of carrying this out on their own. Not with what we know about them. I think there was a mastermind of some kind behind this and someone, somewhere knows something.

"I don't think that those close to the families knew anything. It is still a complete mystery to Shahzad Tanweer's family. But someone knows something and people are very reluctant to come forward to the police."

Mr Hussain added: "It may be a small piece of information like 'I saw Sidique Khan with so and so, or going to so and so', but I think people should come forward. But people are very, very suspicious of the police."

Mr Hussain was speaking outside the Hardy Street mosque in Beeston Hill, where some of the bombers are known to have worshipped, and just a few hundred yards from Tanweer's family home.

He said: "They [Tanweer's family] loved their kids and it's been very difficult for them to come to terms with what's happened. Nobody wants to lose their son like that and they've still got no answers."

The streets of Beeston Hill were almost deserted yesterday despite bright sunshine. Residents were even more reluctant to discuss the bombings and the bombers than they were when the Leeds connection was first established 10 months ago. One man said: "Everyone just wants to move on."