Revelations in aftermath of Tel Aviv bombing
07 May 2003, updated 20 May

A report on 7 May by Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian's Security Affairs editor, referring to Hanif and Sharif, noted that "British security forces are furious about suggestions that MI5 knew that the two men were planning suicide bombings in Israel", adding, quoting 'Whitehall sources', "Even if, as alleged, individuals are known or suspected", "it is difficult to discover their intentions".

The inference was that the security agencies have established the membership lists of a variety of organisations with Muslim affiliations. In Northern Ireland alone there were “at least 1m names” known to one or other security agency (report by Richard Norton Taylor in The Guardian, 29 September 2000).

The Guardian now reports (20 May 2003) that "Sharif and Hanif were known to MI5 before they set off on their suicide mission".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,880374,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,959684,00.html