Riddle over failed bomber's death

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The circumstances surrounding the death of a failed British suicide bomber remain unclear, an inquest was told.

Derby coroner Peter Ashworth recorded a narrative verdict on the death of 27-year-old Omar Khan Sharif from Normanton in Derby.

He said Mr Sharif's body was found in the sea 12 days after he tried to blow up a bar in Tel Aviv in April 2003.

Mr Ashworth said Mr Sharif drowned but could not say if he committed suicide or if anyone was else involved.

The hearing was shown Mr Sharif and his accomplice Asif Hanif in their so-called martyrdom video released by Hamas.

Bomb failed

Hanif blew himself up at Mike's Bar on the Tel Aviv seafront killing himself, and three other people. Sixty-more were injured.

But Mr Sharif's device failed to go off and he fled the scene.

He was spotted discarding his bomb and managed to evade witnesses who pursued him.

Three autopsies were carried out on Mr Sharif's body after it was found.

Pathologist Professor Guy Rutty told the inquest Mr Sharif had almost certainly drowned and there were no signs of serious injury which would be present if he had been restrained.

The coroner said if Mr Sharif's bomb had gone off he would have had no hesitation in recording a verdict of suicide, but he said could not be sure if he had subsequently taken his own life.