POLITICIANS and victims have criticised the Government's decision not to hold a public inquiry into the July 7 terrorist atrocities.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke today defended the decision not to hold a public inquiry into the attacks on London's transport network - carried out by four West Yorkshire men.

"We are involved in a murder investigation that is a very active investigation," he said.

"Secondly we are looking at potential future threats... and that is a very important thing not to be distracted from.

"Thirdly, the time factor. I have always been a sceptic... of the length of time that inquiries of this kind do actually take and the distraction which they offer.

"And finally, of course, a number of committees ... are looking at various aspects of this."

But Mr Clarke said he thought there was a need for a narrative of what happened.

Saba Mozakka, whose mother Behnaz lost her life when a bomb ripped through a Piccadilly Line Tube train near King's Cross station, said it was "unacceptable" not to hold a public inquiry.

"The families will be campaigning for there to be a full public inquiry," she said.

"A narrative of events will not satisfy anybody. This is not something we will go away on."

The 24-year-old added:

"Behind every one of those names is a family and a group of people who are suffering hugely."

Sir Iqbal Sacranie of the Muslim Council of Britain also repeated his demands for a full inquiry.

Whitehall sources said the security service had already built up a "very good picture" around bombers Shehzad Tanweer, Hasib Hussain, Mohammad Siddique Khan and Jermaine Lindsay.

Khan, 30, lived in Thornhill Lees, and was regarded as the ringleader. Lindsay, 19, was a former student at Rawthorpe High School and lived in Dalton.