Profiles of the terror suspects: The Iraqi junior doctor and the 'brilliant' neurologist
Last updated at 18:47pm on 2nd July 2007
The suspected ringleader of the failed bomb plot has been named as 'brilliant neurologist' Mohammed Asha, 26.
Saudi-born Asha, 26, was arrested with his 27-year-old wife, who was in traditional Muslim dress, on the M6 in Cheshire on Saturday night.
They were in a car with their two-year-old son when police were believed to have been alerted to Dr Asha's car after his number plate flashed up on an automatic recognition camera.
He is believed to being questioned over possible links to the two Mercedes
packed with gas canisters, petrol and nails found in the West End on Friday.
A picture of suspect Mohammed Asha, being held by his father Jamil. In the picture suspect Asha shaked hands with Jordan's Queen NoorThe couple were taken to London's Paddington Green Police Station to be questioned.
Dr Asha came top of his class at the University of Jordan in 2004 with an "excellent score" and has been practising in Britain since 2005.
Police investigating the terror cell behind the failed London and Glasgow bombings are searching his detached home in a cul-de-sac in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Dr Asha and the 27-year-old woman, believed to be his wife, can now be held until Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.
Asha's father Jamil displays pictures of his sonDr Asha had recently started a job at the North Staffordshire Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent. He appears on the British Medical register as Mohammed Jamil Abdelqader Asha. He qualified in Jordan in 2004.
The General Medical Council said Dr Asha holds a provisional registration which enabled him to work in the NHS under supervision.
Dr Mohammed AshaDr Asha is also believed to have links to a two-bedroom, semi-detached house in the quiet commuter village of Houston, Renfrewshire, just outside Glasgow.
Asha's father Jamil tonight denied his son had anything to do with the bomb plot.
With shaking hands he showed pictures of his son and declared the young man's innocence.
"He was a devout Muslim but not strict," retired teacher Jameel Abdul Qader Asha, 55, said from Jordan.
"He prayed like any Muslim but was not a fanatic," said Asha, the father of eight children, including three doctors. He was seated at his home in the Jordanian capital Amman, holding a photograph of his serious-looking 26-year-old son, Mohammed.
"I am sure Mohammed does not have any links of this nature, because his history in Jordan and since he was a kid does not include any kind of activity of this nature," the father said.
Another medic, Iraqi junior doctor Bilal Abdulla, who is said to have completed his medical training in Baghdad, was the man who tried to drive a blazing jeep
into Glasgow airport, it was claimed this afternoon.
He is one of three NHS doctors arrested by police hunting the car bombers. He was named as Bilal Abdullah, 27, who was registered to practise in Britain three years ago.
Dr Abdullah is believed to have worked at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley, four miles from the airport.
The other suspect involved in the attempted attack was severely burned and was too ill to be questioned.
Bilal Abdullah being arrested by policeFollowing Asha's arrest, his brother Ahmed, speaking from Jordan, said he was "surprised".
"The first news we heard of this was broadcast by an Arabic satellite channel. I can't believe this. It's nonsense because he has no terror connections."
Ahmed said his brother "is not a Muslim extremist and he's not a fanatic."
He said Asha graduated from the University of Jordan in 2004 with a degree in medicine. He then went to England to pursue higher education, specialising in neurology.
Ahmed said he did not know his brother's whereabouts in Britain. He said Asha was in touch with his family recently and that he planned to come to Jordan for a visit on July 12.
Mr Asha also said his son was planning to visit on July 12.
He said: "He called me three days ago to check the body sizes of his six brothers and two sisters. My son wanted to buy them gifts from Britain before his departure."
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