'4 Islamic groups suspected in UK terror plot'

Investigators probing the plot to blow up several aircraft from Britain to US suspected involvement four Islamic militant groups including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Sunni extremist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

The probe revealed that funds provided by a UK-based Islamic charity for earthquake relief in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has apparently been used to target planes, a media report in Islamabad said on Saturday.

"The links of the arrested suspect could not be confirmed, but the sources said intelligence agencies had put four Islamic organisations on the watch list and they included two UK-based outfits Al Mahajroon and Hizbul Tehrir, and two Pakistani organisations Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi," the daily Dawn reported.

Also Rauf Rashid, the British national of Pakistan origin, officially identified as the key suspect by Pakistan on Friday who providing the tip-off on the plot to blow up US-bound aircraft with liquid explosives as the father of Tayyab Rauf, a suspect who was arrested in Britain in connection with 7/7 London bombings, it said.

During the interrogation, Rashid Rauf unveiled the terror plot aiming to destroy at least 10 passenger aircraft in the UK, it quoted officials as saying. 

The information was shared with the UK Homeland Security Department that resulted in a raid in which 21 suspects were arrested in London on Thursday, it said.