The wife and sister-in-law of one of the alleged July 21 bombers today appeared in court charged with failing to disclose information about the suspect.

Yeshiemebet Girma, 29, and Mulumebet Girma, 21, are alleged to have withheld details about the suspected failed Shepherd’s Bush attacker Hussain Osman, who is currently under arrest in Rome.

Bow Street Magistrate’s Court was told that Yeshiemebet was the wife of Mr Osman, also known as Hamdi Issac.

Both women spoke only to confirm their names, ages and addresses at a short hearing and did not enter formal pleas. Counsel acting on their behalf indicated however that both will plead not guilty to charges under Section 38 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Yeshiemebet, of Blair House, Stockwell Gardens, Stockwell, south west London and Mulumebet, of Corse House, Dorset Road, Stockwell, were remanded in custody until a further hearing on August 11.

Both women are accused of "having information that they knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Hussain Osman, also known as Hamdi, in the UK for an offence involving the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism, failed to disclose that information as soon as reasonably practical to a constable."

The court heard both women were alleged to have committed the offence between July 21 - the date of the failed bombing attempts - and July 28. An application for bail made on behalf of Yeshiemebet was refused.

The two women held hands throughout the hearing and Yeshiemebet wore a black and silver headscarf, beige top and green floral skirt. Her sister, who wore a pale blue jumper and dark grey jeans, waved frequently at two women sat in the public gallery and appeared to mouth the words "I’m okay".

Yeshiemebet was said in court to be a mother-of-three with a seven-month-old infant.

District judge Timothy Workman remanded both women in custody until August 11.

Meanwhile the ANSA news agency in Italy reported that Scotland Yard will allowed to question Mr Osman for the first time next Tuesday. Britain has requested Mr Osman's extradition over the failed July 21 bombings and a hearing is scheduled for August 17.

The 27-year-old Ethiopian-born Briton has been held in Rome’s Regina Coeli prison since his arrest on July 29, several days after he fled Britain by train. He is being held on accusations of "international terrorism" and holding false identity papers under Italian law, but has not been formally charged.

Police investigating the bomb attacks have made 39 arrests in the UK since July 21, mostly under the Terrorism Act 2000. There are 32 men and seven women from London, Birmingham and Brighton.

Seventeen remain in police custody. The rest have been released without charge.

Ismael Abdurahman, the first man charged in connection with the failed July 21 attacks, was remanded in custody yesterday at Bow Street.

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