A British judge sentenced four Al-Qaida-inspired bomb plotters to life in prison yesterday for their "very nearly successful attempt at mass murder" on London's transit system in 2005, two weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in the city.

By Jeff Root Possible links between the 21/7 and 7/7 attacks could influence already long jail sentences expected for the four failed suicide bombers, the judge in the case said yesterday.

A judge on Wednesday sentenced four men to life in prison for attempting to bomb London's transit system in July 2005, just two weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in the city.

ANTI-TERROR police and the security services were facing questions today about how the leader of the July 21 suicide bomb plot was allowed to leave the UK while facing charges over extremist behaviour.

By Tariq Panja Associated Press LONDON -- Four Muslim militants were convicted Monday of plotting to bomb London's public transport system July 21, 2005 -- an attack with deliberate echoes of suicide bombings that killed 52 commuters two weeks earlier.