World

All four bombers in last week's terrorist attacks in London were identified by police, and reports said the plotter is believed to be a British Muslim of Pakistani origin who left the country the day before the blasts killed at least 53 people and wounded hundreds of others. As Britons in unison stopped to observe two minutes of silence in memory of the attacks, police were hunting for a sixth man who appeared to be with the bombers as they set off on their mission - but may not have participated in it and may still be at large in or near London.

Attitudes toward Islam and Muslims already were hardening before last week's terrorist attacks in London, according to results of a new international survey that were released Thursday. In particular, the Pew Research Center said a majority of Americans and Europeans surveyed in May reported being concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism. In Europe, it said, an "overwhelming" majority of respondents perceived a growing sense of Islamic identity among Muslims living in their countries and said they thought the phenomenon was unhealthy. Islam also was identified as the world's most violent religion by respondents in the US, Europe, and India.

A high alert was declared for security forces in Sri Lanka as a three-year truce with Tamil rebels appeared in danger of collapse. The rebel movement closed its offices in government-held territory and was preparing a letter - expected to be made public Friday - formally registering dissatisfaction to the government at the level of protection offered to Tamils. Incidents of violence between the two sides have increased in recent days, and the rebels have threatened to resume carrying weapons, which would break the terms of the cease-fire that ended two decades of civil war.

With sustained winds of almost 100 m.p.h., hurricane Emily was inflicting serious damage on the Caribbean island of Grenada Thursday and was causing widespread flooding on Trinidad. Coastal areas of Venezuela and the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, also were bracing for its arrival. Grenada, still trying to recover from the destruction caused by hurricane Ivan last fall, lost much cropland and the roofs of two hospitals, two nursing homes, and two police stations. Ivan was blamed for 39 deaths on Grenada in September.