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LONDON: Police searched an upmarket flat in London on Saturday among other addresses as part of the investigation into a Nigerian man who tried to blow up a US airliner travelling from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Britain and the United States were working closely together in the probe of Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, who was overpowered after he ignited an explosive device on board the flight.
Amid reports the man was a student in the British capital, University College London (UCL) said a man called Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab studied mechanical engineering at the institution from 2005 to 2008.
But the university said it was unable to confirm that the man listed in their records was the same as the one arrested by US authorities after the attempted attack.
London's Metropolitan Police said it was searching several addresses in connection with the inquiry.
“We are in liaison with the US authorities and searches in London are being conducted as part of ongoing enquiries," a spokeswoman said.
"The searches are being carried out at more than one address," she added, but declined to give further details.
An AFP reporter saw police officers carrying a box of material out of a mansion block in the Marylebone district of London, near the popular Oxford Circus shopping area, where the Nigerian is believed to have lived in a flat.
As airports worldwide stepped up security in the wake of the attempted attack, the prime minister said Britain would take "whatever action is necessary" to protect air travellers.
"The security of the public must always be our primary concern. We have been working closely with the US authorities investigating this incident since it happened yesterday," Brown said in a statement.
"Because of the serious potential threat posed by the incident, I have spoken to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, whose officers have been carrying out searches of properties in London," he said.
"We will continue to take whatever action is necessary to protect passengers on airlines and the public."
Witnesses said Abdulmutallab was subdued by passengers and crew on board the Northwest Airlines flight, which took off from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Friday with 278 passengers on board.
The Nigerian, who was badly burned in the attempted attack, told US authorities he was following orders from Al-Qaeda, US media reports said.
He admitted he had explosive powder taped to his leg and used a syringe of chemicals to mix with the powder that was to cause an explosion, according to senior officials quoted anonymously by US media.
Dutch authorities said Abdulmutallab had flown to Amsterdam from Nigeria with a valid US visa.
Eight years ago, British-born "shoe bomber" Richard Reid attempted a similar attack on a flight from Paris to Miami.
Recent cases have shown that Britain is a hotbed of extremist activity.
A plot to blow up passenger airliners flying between Britain and North America was uncovered in 2006, leading to the introduction of strict new rules about carrying liquids in hand luggage on commercial flights.
And four Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 civilians when they detonated homemade explosive devices on underground trains and a bus in London on July 7, 2005.
- AFP/yb
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