Bomb suspect's al-Qaeda link probed

Reid attended this mosque in south London

Officials in the United States are reported to be investigating links between al-Qaeda and a man who apparently tried to blow himself up on a transatlantic flight at the weekend.

At least one al-Qaeda prisoner questioned by US forces in Afghanistan had recognised the alleged bomber, Richard Reid, as having trained at camps there, American media reports said.

Richard Reid was 'attracted to extremists'

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Reid was described as one of about 100 would-be suicide bombers by the chairman of a London mosque which he attended.

Abdul Haqq Baker, the chairman of the Brixton mosque in south London, said he warned police about extremist elements operating in the area five years ago.

Richard Reid is in custody in Boston, after allegedly trying to set off a bomb in his shoe on an American Airlines Paris-Miami flight. He is due to appear in court on Friday.

'Highly strung'

Mr Reid, 28, also shares a connection with Zacarias Moussaoui - the only person so far charged in connection with the 11 September terror attacks in the US.

Both men had been worshippers at the Brixton mosque in south London.

You would have at least 100 or more individuals who would be prepared to do that (blow themselves up)

Abdul Haqq Baker
Chairman, Brixton Mosque

So far there has been no confirmation that Mr Reid was part of Osama Bin Laden's network.

American officials quoted by broadcasters ABC and NBC said they were trying to verify accounts obtained by their troops in Afghanistan.

Some al-Qaeda prisoner have remembered Richard Reid - also known as Abdel Rahim - as being "highly strung", officials were quoted as saying.

The FBI believes he was part of a "wider network" of Islamic extremists, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Mr Baker said he did not believe Mr Reid could have acted alone.

Military gear

Mr Baker told the BBC that Mr Reid, came to the mosque to learn about Islam but soon fell in with what he called "more extreme elements".

Mr Baker said Mr Reid had converted to Islam while serving time in a British prison for minor offences.

Abdul Haqq Baker: Extremists preyed on "impressionable youths"

He said Mr Reid came to the mosque for instruction in mainstream Islam, initially taking a studious approach.

But he said he later became convinced his teachers were too "passive" in the face of perceived Western injustice.

He said he started wearing military gear and talking about fighting a jihad or holy war.

Mr Baker said: "He said we had to revolt against the rulers of the Muslim countries, because they were not actually Muslims."

He said Mr Reid said Muslims who lived in Western society should make plans to revolt against and undermine it.

Warning

Mr Baker said there were perhaps as many as 1,000 extremist Muslims in the UK, of whom at least 100 were ready to become suicide bombers.

Moussaoui: Worshipped at Brixton mosque

He said: "Those propagating the extreme views are relatively few in number but in the last four or five years we have witnessed that number grow quite frighteningly."

Mr Baker said he warned police of his concerns about extremist elements, but no action was taken.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said they could not comment on specific cases.

When Mr Reid was searched he was apparently found to have "two functional explosive devices" in his shoes, which contained C-4, a type of plastic explosive.

The suspect had reportedly been prevented from boarding a similar flight in Paris the previous day because he was acting suspiciously.