London bombers 'staged dummy run a month ago'

This handout picture given by London Metropolitan Police shows a grab image taken from a CCTV footage dated June 28, 2005 showing (Centre from L-R) Mohammed Sidique Khan, Germaine Lindsay and Shahzad Tanweer, three of four presumed London suicide bombers arriving at King's Cross Thameslink station during an apparent dummy run of their July 7 attack. PHOTO: AFP

The four men, all British Muslims, travelled from their home city of Leeds, northern England before separating to visit their designated targets on the London Underground subway rail system, the Evening Standard newspaper said.

According to the London daily, which cited anonymous police and security sources, the apparent reconnaissance mission in late June was discovered by officers looking through hours of security camera footage.

The July 7 attacks saw three bombs explode near-simultaneously at Underground stations at points to the east, west and south of King's Cross, the mainline terminus where the bombers arrived by train.

A fourth blast ripped through a bus in the centre of London around an hour later.