21/7 'obstruction' case dropped

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Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man who was accused of failing to disclose information about one of the attempted 21 July bombers.

Lukimon Sulaimon, 24, of Hove, East Sussex, was due to stand trial at the Old Bailey.

But prosecutor Emma Gargitter told the court that, following a review, the Crown had decided to offer no evidence.

Judge Paul Worsley told Mr Sulaimon: "You leave this court without a stain on your character."

He directed a formal not guilty verdict against Mr Sulaimon.

There was loud applause and shouts of "Praise God" from the public gallery as the ruling was announced.

Mr Sulaimon had been accused of withholding information that could have lead to the arrest of would-be bomber Hussain Osman.

But Miss Gargitter said the matter had been reviewed following the acquittal of two other men, Omer Almagboul and Shadi Abdelgadir, of similar charges earlier this month.

She said there was now "no realistic prospect of conviction" in Mr Sulaimon's case.

A total of 16 people have pleaded guilty to or been convicted of offences relating to the 21/7 attacks.

Last year, Osman was jailed for life with a minimum of 40 years, alongside fellow bomber Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohamed and Muktar Ibrahim.

Fellow plotters Manfo Asiedu and Adel Yahya were also jailed after admitting separate offences, and eight others have been convicted of helping the bombers.