Police investigate 'killing tapes'

Scotland Yard is assessing whether laws were broken

Anti-terror officers are to investigate the distribution of videos used to recruit British Muslims to fight for al-Qaeda.

The tapes are believed to contain violent scenes, including one in which Algerian extremists supported by Osama Bin Laden kill Algerian soldiers.

It is claimed that the tapes were smuggled into the UK only days before the 11 September attacks as part of a recruitment drive for al-Qaeda.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that the tapes would "be fully and thoroughly investigated".

"Any information passed to us is assessed," he said.

The investigation comes as US Forces in Afghanistan said they had detained two more Britons believed to have been fighting for Bin Laden.

Scotland Yard has reportedly received one of the videos.

Violent deaths

It is examining whether any law has been broken by circulating it.

Distributing or selling the videos could violate the Terrorism Act 2000, which outlaws incitement to join terrorist groups.

The Observer newspaper reported on Monday that the tapes have been circulated in British mosques, including the Finsbury Park mosque in north London.

They are said to have been produced by the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and War (GSPC).

One reportedly shows the deaths of a group of young Algerian conscripts, with many having their throats slit, after their truck hits a mine.

US Forces earlier named Ruhal Ahmed as being held in Kandahar in Afghanistan where he is being questioned about alleged involvement with terrorism.

It is thought he is from Tipton, the same Midlands town as Shafiq Rasul and Asif Iqbal, who are being held in Camp X-Ray in Cuba.

Feroz Abbasi, 22, from Croydon, south London, at Camp X-Ray was confirmed last week.

The Foreign Office is also following up reports that a fifth Briton is being held in Kandahar.