Human rights group Liberty is urging restraint for those reporting on the men suspected of attempting to blow up three subway trains and a bus on July 21 to avoid hampering any future trial by creating a prior assumption of guilt.

But media experts argue that the press has a duty to inform the public in as much detail as possible about the developments of such a sensational crime, while noting that stories will likely be toned down ahead of court hearings.

"If there are constant references of people in relation to terrorism or terrorists and continuing pictures then the accumulative effect of that could lead up to the trial being prejudiced," said Gareth Grossman, director of policy for Liberty.

Mike Dodd, a media journalist for the domestic Press Association and non-practising barrister, however, dismissed such fears.

"The police already made it quite clear the people they were looking for and have subsequently arrested are the people who they believe tried to set bombs off on the buses and the London Underground," Dodd told AFP.

"For those individuals to turn around and say, 'I can't have a fair trial therefore you can't try me' is an absolute nonsense. And for them also to say, 'Well we don't want any more reporting of this', again, is a nonsense."

Unlike in countries such as the United States, where the media can ponder a suspect's possible innocence or guilt throughout a trial, Britain has strict laws over what is officially termed contempt of court.