A man suspected of assisting four would-be suicide bombers in the July 21 attacks on London was tonight being questioned by detectives at a high-security police station after his arrest at Gatwick this morning.

The 23-year-old British citizen, who has not been named, was held by armed officers after disembarking his plane from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at 5.20am.

He is believed to have been returning to his home in Tottenham, north London, for the first time since the failed attacks on the capital's transport network, a fortnight after the July 7 bombers claimed 52 lives.

Scotland Yard has not given any details of the man beyond saying that he was suspected of providing logistical support, and not of helping in the construction of the bombs.

He was held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000 and transferred to the police station at Paddington Green where he was being questioned.

In the July 21 attempted attack, four - possibly five - would-be suicide bombers attempted to detonate backpack bombs at three Underground stations and on a double-decker bus. The devices failed to explode.

So far, 43 people have been arrested and 15 people have been charged in connection with the incidents. Of those, five - Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, Ramzi Mohammed, 23, Yassin Omar, 24, Manfo Asiedu, 32 and Hussein Osman, 27 - face charges of conspiracy to murder, and their trial will provisionally take place in September next year.

The remainder - including Mr Osman’s wife Yeshiemebet Girma, 29, her younger sister Mulumebet Girma, 21- have been accused of less serious offences including obstructing the inquiry and helping suspects to evade arrest.

Two people have been passed on to the Immigration Service and the rest have been released without charge.

Police have yet to establish any forensic connection between the July 7 blasts and the attempted attack two weeks later but have publicly stated that they believe they will evenutally uncover a common link.

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