British police are refusing to comment on media reports that they are looking for a “dirty” bomb after their raid on a house in east London failed to uncover a device.

They have mounted a close guard over a man in hospital whom they shot during the raid. Their search of the house in the ethnically mixed Forest Gate area is expected to take several days. Meanwhile, community leaders are warning of the harm that the shooting could do to relations locally. Mian Aslam, a head teacher and former local councillor, expressed his concern:“Honestly I was very surprised and very shocked to see this kind of activity… I think that the community at large is quite nervous,” he said. So too did Mohammed Zaki Ahmed, a local mosque official: “We educate them to be law-biding people so there is no radical in this Newham borough, it’s very clean, with peace-loving people” Media have quoted unofficial police sources as saying they believe a bomb attack was imminent, with possible attacks including the underground train network or pubs crowded with fans watching the upcoming soccer World Cup tournament.

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