7/7 bomber lead ‘not followed up’

Germaine Lindsay and three other bombers killed 52 victims in 2005

Police failed to chase up their “best lead” after a suspected armed robbery which could have led them to one of the 7 July bombers weeks before the terror attacks, an inquest has heard.

Germaine Lindsay was linked to an alleged gun crime in May 2005 but inquiries were “left outstanding”.

Police identified him as the owner of a red Fiat Brava seen leaving the scene but this was never fully followed up.

Lindsay was one of four suicide bombers who killed 52 people on 7 July 2005.

The bombers targeted three Tube trains – at Aldgate, Edgware Road and Russell Square – as well as a bus.

The inquest heard that, following the alleged gun crime, officers launched an investigation named Operation Bugle after a man dialled 999 to say there was a gunman in his flat on 27 May 2005 – five weeks before the terror attacks on London.

Three women and a child were later seen leaving the property “in fear” while three men – wearing balaclavas and gloves – were spotted getting into the Fiat Brava.

When armed officers arrived at the property later that evening, neither the owner of the Luton flat nor the gunman were there.

And police were unable to identify the gang of men – two of whom were black and one who was Asian – or the group of women seen leaving the area in a taxi.

A witness noted the car registration number, which led police to identify Lindsay as its registered keeper.

Officers went to his address in Aylesbury but failed to find him.

Searches of police files showed that Lindsay was registered to a London address and had a previous record for cannabis possession and importing controlled drugs.

But the investigation ground to a halt after the officer in charge, Det Sgt Grant Maxted of Bedfordshire Police, went on leave.

A victim of the alleged armed robbery was never identified and the red Fiat Brava was not seen again until it was found in the car park at Luton railway station after the 7/7 bombings.

Mr Maxted acknowledged that Bedfordshire Police had a “good lead” from the outset but insisted there were no failures in its operation.

Hugo Keith QC, counsel to the inquest, said: “Inquiries were left outstanding when Mr Maxted left to go on a residential course in June [2005].

“The notebooks of CID officers which have been disclosed show that they have no notes in them at all after that day.”

He said the investigation by Thames Valley Police, who were asked to trace the Fiat Brava, went nowhere, leaving them with an “outstanding query”.

When asked if the Fiat Brava had been the “best lead that you had?”, Mr Maxted replied: “It was, yes, it certainly was a lead.”

However, asked if the Thames valley Police inquiry was ever followed up, he replied: “I don’t know, I couldn’t find any other information.”

The inquest continues.

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