Liverpool terror suspect named as Mersey doctor

Jul 3 2007

THE man arrested in Liverpool city centre hours after a blazing car ploughed into Glasgow Airport is a doctor who had worked at hospitals in Warrington and Halton.

Named tonight as Dr Sabeel Ahmed, the 26-year-old was first linked with with North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust yesterday, but the private company which deals with the Trust's public relations, Cheshire-based M&M Communications, at first said he had not worked for the hospitals.

However, this morning the trust has admitted the man, arrested outside the Adelphi hotel in Lime Street, had worked at both Warrington and Halton hospitals.

He is one of two men arrested in connection with anti-terrorism operation was has worked for the trust.

Mohammed Haneef, who was arrested at Brisbane Airport last night, was registered as a locum in 2005 at Halton Hospital.

Mr Haneef, 27, was detained at Brisbane airport in Australia in connection with the failed car bombings in London and Glasgow.

Halton hospital revealed Haneef had worked there as a locum registrar and was last there in 2005.

More Liverpool links emerged as police swooped on a second doctor in Australia, named locally as Mohammed Asif Ali, who sources said also lived in Liverpool.

Federal police said the second man, recruited from Merseyside, was being quizzed by officers but was not thought to be a UK terror plot suspect.

Sources in Australia said the doctors were neighbours in Brisbane, living “200 yards apart”, and had lived together on Merseyside.

It is believed the two men questioned in Australia may also have worked at the Royal Liverpool Hospital – but a spokesman declined to comment.

Indian national Mr Haneef was said to be a 27-year-old registrar at the Gold Coast hospital, Queensland.

He was detained by Australian police as he was about to catch a flight from Brisbane airport carrying a one-way ticket to India.

The doctor, who completed his internship in India, reportedly moved to Australia after answering an advert in the British Medical Journal in March 2006.

It is thought Mr Haneef had an impeccable record in the health service.

It is understood the two doctors left Merseyside around 12 months ago and started work in Brisbane around one month apart.

A source said Mr Haneef was believed to have had a number of “long telephone conversations” with one of the suspects arrested in the UK in connection with the plot.

He said federal police in Australia were tipped off by Scotland Yard late on Sunday evening.

Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said police had executed search warrants at the Gold Coast Hospital in Southport, eastern Queensland, where Mr Haneef worked as a registrar, as well as at a number of locations across the state.

Australian police said explosive components had not been found during the searches in Queensland but “material” had been collected and taken away.

Mr Haneef’s home was raided by police and a bag of garbage, along with computer discs, were taken away for inspection.

Neighbours described him as “quiet and neat”.

The home of Mr Ali, who arrived from Liverpool to pursue his medical career, was forensically examined by detectives.

In relation to the 26-year-old arrested in Liverpool, The Muslim News quoted a colleague of the Liverpool man who claimed it was “mistaken identity”.

He said terrorist police may have mistaken him for a former Halton hospital doctor who left for Australia.

It was revealed the Liverpool man could have been using his mobile phone sim card and computer internet account.

The colleague said: “I was going to meet my friend for prayers on Sunday morning when I heard about the arrest in Liverpool.

“I went to the police station and the police started asking questions about another doctor, who I used to know, who left for Australia. I told officers he had left the country.

“I believe it may be a case of mistaken identity. He had a one-year contract which was due to come to an end.

“He will have attended the late prayers at 11.15pm on Saturday at the mosque.

“I don’t know why he was near Lime Street station.”

The Liverpool doctor is believed to be a post-graduate trainee from Bangalore in India and not from the Middle East.

His colleague said he was convinced he was at least “99% innocent”.

It is thought a Scotland Yard tip led to the arrest down under.

It emerged the houses in Hatherley Street, Toxteth, and Ramilies Road, Mossley Hill, were the Liverpool doctor’s former and current addresses.

Elsewhere, controlled explosions were carried out today on a vehicle linked to the foiled car bomb attacks on Glasgow Airport and London.

The explosion happened outside Glasgow’s Forth Street mosque which was cordoned off by police.

Details of the car emerged during the investigations in the wake of the weekend terrorist attack.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out by the bomb disposal squad on the vehicle in the early hours of the morning.