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UK suicide bomber in Syria named as Abdul Waheed Majid | UK suicide bomber in Syria named as Abdul Waheed Majid |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A British man thought to have carried out a suicide bombing in Syria last week was Abdul Waheed Majid, the BBC has learned. | A British man thought to have carried out a suicide bombing in Syria last week was Abdul Waheed Majid, the BBC has learned. |
The 41-year-old, from Crawley in West Sussex, is believed to have carried out a suicide truck bombing in the city of Aleppo last Thursday. | |
Officials have not confirmed his identity, citing lack of DNA evidence. | Officials have not confirmed his identity, citing lack of DNA evidence. |
Anti-terror police are searching a house in Martyrs Avenue, Langley Green, as part of the investigation. | Anti-terror police are searching a house in Martyrs Avenue, Langley Green, as part of the investigation. |
The suspect is believed to have been responsible for a bomb attack at a prison in Aleppo that resulted in inmates escaping. | |
The bombing, in the north of Syria, is thought to have been the first to be carried out in the country by a Briton. | The bombing, in the north of Syria, is thought to have been the first to be carried out in the country by a Briton. |
'Roy Whiting's house' | 'Roy Whiting's house' |
An al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, the al-Nusra Front, had named Majid by an alias - Abu Suleiman al-Britani. | An al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, the al-Nusra Front, had named Majid by an alias - Abu Suleiman al-Britani. |
People in Martyrs Avenue told the BBC he left some weeks ago for Syria. | |
One, Nita Bateman, said Roy Whiting, who murdered eight-year-old schoolgirl Sarah Payne in 2000 in West Sussex, lived in the house before Majid. | |
She described him as a "pleasant chap" and said she was shocked by the revelations. | |
The BBC understands the suspected bomber was part of a study circle in Crawley, which also included Omar Khyam, a man jailed for life in 2007 for a bomb plot. | The BBC understands the suspected bomber was part of a study circle in Crawley, which also included Omar Khyam, a man jailed for life in 2007 for a bomb plot. |
Arif Syed, from the Crawley Islamic Culture Centre, said: "I am very disappointed that an individual from Crawley has been linked with this attack. | |
"It is something we are extremely upset about and something that we feel has stained the name of Crawley when Crawley is in fact a very peaceful town." | |
Ch Insp Justina Beeken from Sussex Police said they were working closely with the South East Counter Terrorism Unit. | |
It has been reported that hundreds of British nationals have travelled to Syria to fight against government forces. | It has been reported that hundreds of British nationals have travelled to Syria to fight against government forces. |
One in 10 are believed to be from Europe, with the majority thought to come from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Libya. | One in 10 are believed to be from Europe, with the majority thought to come from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Libya. |
'Attempted jailbreak' | |
Activists claimed 300 prisoners escaped as a result of the bomb attack on the prison, although the Syrian authorities have denied that. | |
The bombing was reportedly part of an attempted jailbreak by fighters from the hard line Islamist groups, Ahrar-al-Sham and the Al-Nusra Front. | |
After 24 hours of fighting at the prison, where it is thought about 3,000 people are being held, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad regained control. | |
Several attacks have been made on Aleppo jail and the city has been a focus of fighting. | |
More than 100,000 lives have been lost in Syria in the conflict since 2011 with 9.5 million people forced to leave their homes. |