British Minister Denies Bomb Suspects Arrested Previously

Home Secretary Charles Clarke 13 July 2005 -- France and Britain found themselves again at odds today, this time about last week's London terrorist bombings.

British Home Secretary (Interior Minister) Charles Clarke today denied that some of the suspects in last week's bombings in London had been previously arrested.

He was reacting to a statement by French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who said earlier today that some of the suspected bombers were arrested in 2004.

Clarke later told Britain's Sky News: "It's completely untrue. I am absolutely staggered he should make that assertion."

(Reuters)