Authorities today released an Egyptian chemist detained for questioning following the July 7th bombings in London, saying he had been cleared of suspicion, an Interior Ministry official said.
Magdy el-Nashar had been sought by Britain in connection with the attacks in London, which killed at least 56 people in explosions on London's Underground and on a bus.
Mr El-Nashar (33) was studying at Leeds University, and the British government suspected him of links to some of the four bombers, three of whom were from the Leeds area.
Mr El-Nashar had returned to Egypt on holiday a week before the attacks. Egyptian authorities arrested him several days after the bombings, and officials from Scotland Yard travelled to Egypt to attend his questioning.
An official from the Interior Ministry's media office said he was released today after authorities found no evidence against him and no links to either the attacks or to al-Qaeda.
"There is nothing against him," the official said when asked whether Mr el-Nashar would be extradited to Britain. Egypt has previously said it would not hand him over.
A spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police had no comment on the release, saying it was a matter for the Egyptian authorities.
Mr El-Nashar explained that he met one of the suicide bombers, Jamaican-born Lindsey Germaine, in Leeds during the last Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, which was in October and November.
He said Germaine asked him in June for help finding a place to live in Leeds before he moved there from London with his wife and child. Mr El-Nashar said he found a home for Germaine through his landlord. He said he was then introduced by Germaine to a man called Mohammed, who turn out to be Hasib Hussain, also one of the July 7th bombers.
Mr El-Nashar said he helped Germain because he was a "new convert. He was very kind and very nice."
PA