The July 7 terror attacks on London's transport system, which killed 56 people, and its repeat two weeks later are unrelated, initial investigations have revealed.
No evidence of an al-Qaeda "mastermind" have emerged from the initial probe into the July 21 attacks and the deadly suicide bombings preceding it, The Independent daily said on Saturday, quoting counter-terror officials, involved in the investigations.
The inquiry involved MI5, MI6, the listening centre at the Government Communications Headquarters, and the police, it said, adding that the alleged plotters behind the July 21 bomb incidents in London were thought to have been "copycats," targetting tube trains and a bus.
Also see: The London blasts
"The key point is that the events are not connected. It appears they were self-contained, rather than being organised by some kind of mastermind," the paper said, quoting a counter-terrorist source.
The revelation is a cause of concern for the British anti-terrorist agencies who fear it increases the chance that more "self-sufficient" units similar to the July 7 suicide cell are hiding in Britain, it added.
The officials have found that the July 7 cell, three of whom were of Pakistani background and came from the Leeds area while the fourth was living in Buckinghamshire, did not conform to previous al-Qaeda units, the report said.