Five jailed for aiding 21/7 bombers

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Among them were the brothers of Oval Tube station bomber Ramzi Mohammed and Shepherd's Bush bomber Hussain Osman.

Wahbi Mohammed, 25, Abdul Sherif, 30, Muhedin Ali, 29, Ismail Abdurahman, 25, and Siraj Ali, 32, all from the London area, were jailed for up to 17 years.

Kingston Crown Court heard how the men provided the terrorist cell with safehouses, food, clothes and mobile phones. Their help enabled the gang to escape the authorities as counter terrorist police launched one of the biggest manhunts ever seen in Britain.

Two of the men were found guilty of knowing in advance of the plot to kill dozens just days after the July 7 atrocities but doing nothing to stop it.

But Judge Paul Worsley QC said all the men were guilty of wanting the bombers to ultimately be successful in their murderous mission. He said some of the men knew the July 21 plotters were set to inflict even greater devastation than two weeks earlier when 52 people died.

And the judge criticised the constraints placed on him by the law as he said the prison sentences he could pass are "woefully inadequate".

Addressing the men, he said: "You then in different ways assisted the bombers to escape justice, leaving them free so that they would be able to regroup and strike again.

"I have no doubt that you were each prepared to aid ruthless men and that, in so doing, each of you must have harboured the hope that the bombers would ultimately be successful in their mission to destroy society as we know it, instil fear in its ranks and bring division among peace-loving people."

They were convicted of 22 charges of failing to disclose information about terrorism and assisting offenders. Immigration officials are now reviewing whether the men, all originally from Africa but with status to remain in the UK, can be deported after serving their sentences.