A HIGH Wycombe family have been shocked and angered by a terrible case of mistaken identity leading to their son being wrongly named as one of the July 7 London bombers.

The passport of Hasib Hussain, a 16-year-old student, was splashed over the national and international news networks on Tuesday by mistake, as papers printed photos of what they thought identified the bomber of bus Number 30.

In fact, it was a series of unfortunate coincidences which caused the innocent teenager to be caught up in the middle of a media bungle.

Last July, the unsuspecting family travelled to Pakistan for the wedding of Hasib's uncle Tariq Maqsood, unknowingly taking the same route through Saudi Arabia and Karachi as the suspected bomber.

Having the same name as the deceased bomber, same flight paths, and leaving at the same time of year has led to the wrong passport photo appearing in Pakistani newspapers and subsequently press worldwide.

The first the family knew of the fiasco was when Mahboob Hussain, Hasib's father, sat down to watch the Channel 4 news on Monday night, horrified to see photos of his son's passport being broadcast on television.

The basic facts of his age, 16 not 18, and place of birth, High Wycombe, not Leeds, had not prevented the photo from making its way into the press, including The Times.

Mr Hussain said: "We're all very upset. The name does not matter that much really, but when there is a picture as well it's even worse. We want to know how they could get it wrong. How do we know he's not going to be black-flagged' and searched when he travels?"

Hasib Hussain was bemused and saddened by the recent events. He said: "It's just really stupid. Like a bad joke. I'm alive so how can I be the bomber?"

After the terrorist attacks in London, fear of recrimination is high in the Muslim community. The Hussain family, who were shocked by the London bombings, added: "We all condemn the attacks."

Cllr Mahboob Hussain, (no relation), who was chairman of Wycombe District Council last year, said he was incensed by the publication.

An official from the Pakistani High Commission said they were unable to comment on the events which led to the photo's publication and were unclear about how the mistake happened.

By Benedict Moore-Bridger