THE family of three men suspected of plotting a bombing outrage in Britain denied yesterday they were al Qaida terrorists. Relatives spoke out as the Muslim Council, Britain's leading Islamic organisation, began writing to 1,000 mosques urging them to maintain the "utmost vigilance" in the war against terror. The appeal to the two million-strong Muslim population was welcomed by Prime Minister Tony Blair. He told the House of Commons: "The threat from terrorism affects every family in this country - Muslim and non-Muslim alike - and it's right that we all work together to defeat this threat and don't allow the extremists to divide us." Anti-terrorist police said the alleged bomb plot, involving half a tonne of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, was not linked to the March 11 Madrid bombings which killed 191 people. But in Spain Interior Minister Angel Acebes said a possible connection to one of the British suspects was being investigated. One of the eight men held, all of whom are British citizens, had been tipped as a future county or even England cricketer. Omar Khyam, 22, a computer student, had captained Sussex under-18s and dreamed of playing for his country. His 17-year-old brother Shujah Khyam was also held in dawn raids in Crawley, Sussex. Their cousin Ahmad Khan, 18, who was also held, cried for his mother as he was arrested by anti-terror police. All three were being questioned with five other men at high security Paddington Green police station in London. Ahmad's father Ansar Khan, 48, a taxi driver who works at Gatwick Airport, said there was "absolutely no truth" in the allegations against his son and nephews. Mr Khan accused police officers of acting "like terrorists" when they raided his home at 6am and said he was "very angry". He said: "They explained nothing - the warrant was shown after 20 minutes and they wouldn't even let me answer the phone. "I kept watching the Test match until lunchtime - they weren't going to make me leave my own home." Mr Khan said his son Ahmad was a "very quiet boy" and a "good Muslim" who prayed five times a day. He added: "He won't talk much. He is a very straightforward kid." He criticised teaching at local mosques and said he had tried to encourage his son to read books instead. Mr Khan also made a startling claim that operatives from MI5 had recently approached his nephews, Omar and Shujah, and told them they should leave the UK and go to Pakistan. He said: "MI5 came to them and said they should leave the country. They had two meetings." The family had bought tickets for the boys to return to Pakistan, and they had been due to fly out next month, he claimed. But security sources dismissed the claims. Omar went to Hazelwick School and studied for his A-levels in Reigate, Surrey. In 2000, when he was 18, he told his mother he was going to France on a study trip but instead travelled to Pakistan. His family flew out and brought him back to Crawley after around six weeks. Relatives in the Pakistan army helped in the search. At the time Mr Khan said: "This was not a boy who was political. He loved Britain. He talked of playing cricket for England." Police have also taken five computers and eight or nine laptops from an Internet cafe in Crawley, according to the proprietor. Jafar Nazir, 34, who runs PC UK, said officers told him two suspects had used the computers and they needed to check the records. More than 700 police officers were involved in 24 raids. | 
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