UK police probe terror money trail(Jamaat al-Dawat)

UK police probe terror money trail

Investigators believe alleged plot tied to Asian quake relief

LONDON, England (CNN) -- British investigators believe some of the money raised to help victims of last year's earthquake in Pakistan may have been used to fund the alleged airliner terror plot.

In a separate development in the case, another man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the alleged plot to blow up commercial jetliners over the Atlantic, bringing the number in custody to 24, according to London's Metropolitan Police.

A U.S. government official said Tuesday that money trails have been a "major help" in several probes.

The official said the money was collected by a front group for the Pakistani charity Jamaat al-Dawat, which supports Islamic militants. A spokesman for the group has denied the allegations.

The funds are believed to have come from the group's network in Britain, and was not sent from Pakistan, British and U.S. investigators said.

The U.S. official also said it was his understanding that the charity being investigated by the British is a front for Jamaat al-Dawat, previously known as Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Twenty-four suspects in custody in Britain are being questioned about the alleged plot to use liquid explosives to blow up commercial airliners.

Jamaat al-Dawat provided aid and relief camps for victims of the October 8 earthquake that killed more than 73,000 in northwest Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.

The United States deems Jamaat al-Dawat to be a terrorist organization because it is considered a successor to Lashkar-e-Taiba, labeled a terrorist group by the United States, Pakistan and India.

Lord Nasir Ahmed, a leader among British Pakistanis and a member of Britain's Parliament, told CNN that at least four of the alleged plotters traveled to Pakistan, telling their families they were going to help the quake victims.

When questioned, the relatives denied that any members of their families had links to any extremist group, Ahmed said.

New suspect

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police said the new suspect was detained about 1 p.m. (8 a.m. ET) Tuesday in the Thames Valley area near London.

He was taken into custody under the Terrorism Act of 2000, which allows arrests of anyone suspected of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Earlier Tuesday, British anti-terror investigators were given another day -- until Wednesday -- to hold 22 of the suspects; an extension for the 23rd person was granted Monday, a statement from New Scotland Yard said.

The extensions are procedural; police can hold terror suspects up to 28 days without filing formal charges.

"In all operations, some people may be released early without charge while others may remain in custody for further investigation," according to the statement.

"This is not unusual and is to be expected in large and complex criminal enquiries where a number of arrests have taken place."

Forest search

As part of the probe, investigators are searching for evidence of explosive tests in woods in High Wycombe, west of London, near where they arrested some of the suspects.

British security sources with knowledge of the investigation have revealed details about the alleged plot, and expressed confidence their searches would yield results that would stand up in court.

The British security sources told CNN they are confident evidence of explosives will be found, even as police conducted a detailed forensic examination of one suspect's residence. Photographs taken by a neighbor showed police removing plastic containers from the flat.

The security sources said the alleged plotters intended to use an electrical charge to detonate liquid explosives in planes as they flew at maximum cruising altitude over the Atlantic Ocean, thereby ensuring that investigators would have a tough time retrieving evidence.

The source described Rashid Rauf, who is being held without charge in Pakistan, as a leader of the group, and said that others being held in Pakistan played lesser roles.

Pakistan said Tuesday it may extradite Rauf to Britain, although no request had been received, according to The Associated Press.

But the British security sources also cast doubt on British and Pakistani media reports that the suspects have links to Matiur Rehman, one of Pakistan's most wanted men because of his explosives expertise and his alleged links to al Qaeda.

The British security sources suggested that some of the suspects being held may be released without charge. The sources said there may not be sufficient evidence to justify holding them. One person has already been released, leaving 23 people in British custody.

Level at 'severe'

On Monday British authorities lowered the terrorist threat alert by one level to "severe," but the security sources said it is unlikely that the level will soon drop further.

They said there is great concern about "copycats" attempting similar attacks.

The British security sources said the foiled plot was one of about a dozen that investigators were following, and that it got their undivided attention six weeks ago, when they determined that the attack plans were advanced.

MI5 officers who were following the movements of the suspects have already been redeployed to monitor dozens of other suspected terror cells around Britain, sources said.

The security sources estimate there are more than 1,200 individuals of concern across Britain.

According to a British intelligence official, the planned near-simultaneous attacks -- which one top U.S. official said were intended to be "a second September 11th" -- were foiled when a member of the country's Muslim community noticed an acquaintance acting suspiciously and went to authorities.

An undercover British agent then infiltrated the group to gather information, U.S. government officials told CNN.

The decision to lower the terrorist threat level from "critical" to "severe," came as London's Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, struggled to restore normal service after delays and cancellations caused by heightened security measures.

Airport delay problems stretched into their fifth day in Britain, prompting further frustration among airlines which accused the British government and airport authorities of mishandling the new security measures.

As cancellations and delays gripped Britain's major airports for a sixth day, the head of British Airways threatened to sue BAA, the country's largest airport operator, for financial compensation. (Full story)

CNN's Dan Rivers, Henry Schuster, Deborah Feyerick and Kelli Arena contributed to this report