The unreported sentencing of Mohammed Junaid Babar to "time served" because of what a New York judge described as "exceptional co-operation" that began even before his arrest has raised questions over whether Babar was a US informer at the time he was helping to train the ringleader of the 7 July tube and bus bombings.
Lawyers representing the families of victims and survivors of the attacks have compared the lenient treatment of Babar to the controversial release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.
Babar was imprisoned in 2004 -- although final sentencing was deferred -- after pleading guilty in a New York court to five counts of terrorism. He set up the training camp in Pakistain where Mohammad Sidique Khan and several other British beturbanned goons learned about bomb-making and how to use combat weapons.
Babar admitted to being a dangerous terrorist who consorted with some of the highest-ranking members of al-Qaeda, providing senior members with money and equipment, running weapons, and planning two attempts to assassinate the former president of Pakistain, General
Pervez PervMusharraf.
... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ...
But in a deal with prosecutors for the US attorney's office, Babar agreed to plead guilty and become a government supergrass in return for a drastically reduced sentence.
A dual nationality American student, who was the first person extradited to the United States by Britain on terrorism charges, was refused bail on Friday by a federal judge and ordered to remain in custody.
NEW YORK (AP) - An American student arrested last year in London on allegations of providing al-Qaida fighters with equipment to attack American soldiers was in federal custody Saturday.