Fingerprints found on London bomb materials

Lisa Myers Senior investigative correspondent • Profile

LONDON - A former senior U.S. official tells NBC News that British investigators have some possible leads in Thursday bombings. He says British intelligence has told U.S. intelligence that investigators have picked up fingerprints from the bomb materials — but they can't be certain yet that the fingerprints are those of the bombers.

New cell phone video has also been found, showing the scene after Thursday's attacks — which authorities now believe involved at least four operatives. Law enforcement officials tell NBC News that investigators suspect the bombers congregated at the King's Cross Tube station, then set out to plant the devices.

"King's Cross appears to be a significant factor in our investigation,” says Deputy Chief Constable Andy Trotter of the British Transport Police.

Why?

Because all three trains left that station, and bombs on board exploded within seconds of each other. The bomb on the bus also went off not far from King's Cross.

Londoners are jittery with the bombers still at large. And after five days, many families still have no answers.

“I need to know what happened to my Anthony,” says the mother of one of the missing after the bombings, Marie Fatayi-William. “He's the love of my life.”

Frustrated by their slow progress in finding the culprits, the British have reached out to intelligence officials from 30 countries for help. Intelligence sources say European officials were asked to track down associates of Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, also known as Abu Musab al Suri, who allegedly was involved in the 2004 Madrid bombings.

Nasar once lived in London, and, in the late ’90s, allegedly trained Europeans in Afghanistan and sent them back to Europe.

“He's a master at teaching the use of explosives,” says Michael Scheuer, the former head of the CIA’s Osama bin Laden investigative unit. “He has tremendous credentials in terms of a war fighter; he's fought in several jihads.”

As of Monday night, Nasar's high on a list of suspects in an investigation that may finally have some leads.

Lisa Myers is NBC’s senior investigative correspondent.

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