LONDON, Oct 24: A 27-year-old British Muslim of Indian origin has been arrested by the anti-terrorist units, Scotland Yard confirmed on Monday. According to Scotland Yard, the 27-year-old man, Imran Patel, was detained after he told a newspaper he was lined up to be the fifth July 7 bomber and knew about other terrorist plans.

The arrest came following a report in The News of the World, which said that Imran Patel had received arms training in Pakistan and claimed he had been asked to join the London bombers by his friend, terror cell leader, Mohammad Siddique Khan.

The newspaper said the London suicide bombers had met at Patel’s home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. “They watched extremist jihad videos calling for Muslims to launch a holy war. And they held discussions about their “mission” to carry out terrorist attacks in Britain,” the newspaper reported.

Patel decided not to join the bombers when they suggested that one of their targets would be a school.

In the interview with the newspaper, Mr Patel claimed he would never attack a target in Britain, though he would willingly do so abroad.

He said he knew at least half a dozen other Muslims from Dewsbury who had received training in camps in Pakistan and were now back in Britain.

He claimed to know another young Muslim who was close to launching an attack in the UK.

The newspaper said Mr Patel had agreed to talk to its reporter “to make people understand that jihad is valid”.

The paper has handed its dossier on Patel to the UK’s anti-terrorist squad. Following the arrest, an official said: “We will now launch a thorough investigation into this man and his activities.”