A man instrumental in a failed terrorist plot targeting the Tube received close to £400,000 in legal aid.
Siraj Yassin Abdullah Ali knew about the unsuccessful July 21, 2005 scheme but did nothing to alert the authorities.
While the four bombs planted across the Tube network failed to cause any injuries, Ali was handed a nine year sentence for his part.
The 44-year-old received £363,268.07 to cover his 2008 trial and a further £26,051.59 to fight deportation to Eritrea upon his release, after serving half his sentence.
His lawyers argued he faced cruel punishment if he were to be sent to the African country.
This means that the four people charged with assisting the bombers have received £5million in public funds during the course of their legal battles, The Sun reports .
The Ministry of Justice told the paper that legal aid applicants “now have to pass a strict means test”.
Ali was convicted of failing to disclose information that may help police investigating an act of terrorism.
During his trial it was heard that a handwritten note detailing plans for the devices used during the bomb attack were found in his flat.
He was brought up in the same foster family as July 21 conspirator Yassin Omar, and lived in the flat directly above Omar’s eighth-floor bomb factory.
Ali offered members of the plot a place to stay when the fumes in Omar’s bomb factory became overwhelming.
At his home police uncovered handwritten documents relating to the construction of the bombs.
They were ripped up in his waste paper bin.
