5 convicted of aiding would-be bombers

A London court Monday convicted five men of helping the failed bombers of London's transit system in 2005 evade arrest, and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from seven to 10 years.

A jury at London's Kingston Crown Court convicted Siraj Ali, 33; Muhedin Ali, 29; Ismail Abdurahman, 25; Wahbi Mohammed, 25; and Abdul Sherif, 30, of a total of 22 charges of failing to disclose information about terrorism and assisting an offender.

Judge Paul Worsley sentenced Mohammed to 17 years, Siraj Ali to 12 years, and Sherif 10 years. Abdurahman received a 10-year sentence, and Muhedin Ali got seven years.

Five other men are serving long prison sentences for plotting to blow themselves up on subway trains and a bus on July 21, 2005 — two weeks after suicide bombers killed themselves and 52 commuters in the city. The main charges of the bombs, made from hydrogen peroxide and flour, did not detonate and no one was hurt.

Sherif is the brother of convicted bomber Hussain Osman, and Mohammed is the brother of Ramzi Mohammed, another of the bombers. The other defendants were described as friends of the bomb plotters.

The five men convicted Monday provided safe houses, passports, clothing and food for the bombers after the failed attacks. Most of the failed bombers were arrested within days.

Siraj Ali and Mohammed were also convicted of having prior knowledge of the attacks.

Like the bombers, all were originally from Africa but had lived in London for years.