The Waterkooler

An Islamic extremist said that the London bombings were the consequence of Britain's refusal to accept the offer of a "ceasefire" from Osama bin Laden.

Abu Izzadeen, who described himself as a spokesman for the Al-Ghurabaa organisation, said that bin Laden had made the offer conditional on troop withdrawal, apparently from countries including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Speaking on BBC2's Newsnight, he said: "Sheikh Osama bin Laden offered to the British public and the UK people at large an offer of ceasefire.

"He said if they rolled up against the Government, brought the troops home, he promised not to attack them. But unfortunately, the stiff upper British lip became hard-headed and we saw what took place on July 7."

Abu Izzadeen, who is British-born but of Jamaican origin, and who converted to Islam when he was 17, would not denounce the bombings, which he described as "mujahideen activity".

"I'm sure if you asked those who passed away on July 7, should we negotiate with Osama bin Laden, they would say yes, to bring their lives back, to save themselves from the burning inferno underground," he said.

Another extremist and former member of the Al-Muhahjiroun group, Abu Uzair, had previously said that Britain should not be attacked in the wake of the September 11 atrocities, which he described as "magnificent", the programme said.

This was because it had accommodated Muslims, the programme said.

"We don't live in peace with you any more, which means the covenant of security no longer exists," he said.

"That's why those four bombers attacked London - they believed that there was no covenant of security, and for them their belief was that it was allowed to attack the UK." Seeming to warn of the possibility of further attacks, he added: "For them, the banner has been risen for jihad inside the UK."