One of the bombers behind the Sri Lankan terror attack was former UK student Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed.

He is understood to have studied in the southeast of England at some point between 2006 and 2007 – and later did a postgraduate course in Australia, before returning to settle in Sri Lanka.

His identity was reported after officials in Sri Lanka claimed one of the suicide bombers may have studied in the UK.

Many of the attackers came from well-educated, middle-class families, and had been part of a pair of little-known extremist Muslim groups, Sri Lanka’s junior defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene told reporters.

He added at least one had a law degree and some may have studied in the UK and Australia.

Scotland Yard and a UK Government spokesman declined to comment.

The identity of Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed was first reported by Sky News.