LUSAKA, Aug. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Zambia has extradited London bombing suspect Haroon Rashid Aswat to the United Kingdom on Sunday, a senior Zambian government official has said.

    Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba disclosed that Aswat had been deported to Britain on Sunday morning via a chartered plane, adding he was put on the plane at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT).

    A Zambian security source was cited by media reports as saying that British security officials flew into Lusaka late on Saturday, and Aswat was handed over to them on Saturday evening after the completion of investigation in Zambia.

    Aswat, a 31-year-old Indian-Briton, was arrested in Lusaka on July 20 for suspected involvement in the July 7 London bombing, which killed 56 people including the four suicide bombers.

    It was found that some 20 phone calls had been made between Aswat and some of the four bombers ahead of the blasts.

    Security sources, however, was cited by newspaper reports as saying that British investigators did not believe Aswat was linked to the London attacks.

    Aswat is also wanted by the US government for suspected involvement in a 1999 plot to establish a terrorist training camp in the western US state of Oregon.

    The security source was also cited by reports as saying Aswat might be handed over to the United Sates by British authorities after further investigation in London.

    Zambian officials earlier said that British and American investigators have joined in the interrogation of Aswat after his arrest in Zambia.

    Media reports said Aswat had confessed to Zambian police he used to be a bodyguard of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, but Zambian police Inspector General Ephraim Mateyo denied the reportsduring a press briefing last Tuesday. Enditem