Eight arrested in anti-terror raids

Eight men have been arrested and more than half a tonne of ammonium nitrate has been seized during a series of anti-terror raids on addresses across London and the Home Counties this morning.

Two people were arrested in Uxbridge, one each in Ilford, Horley and Slough and three in Crawley. The men, who are all British citizens, are aged between 17 and 32 years of age.

The men have been held on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed today.

The suspects will be interviewed by officers from the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch. The operation is not linked to either Irish Republican terrorism or to the recent attack in Madrid, the Met confirmed.

As part of the same operation, police recovered the half tonne of ammonium nitrate fertiliser from a self-storage facility in Boston Road, Hanwell, West London.

The Met stressed that there was no danger to the public in the vicinity of the find.

DAC Peter Clarke, Head of the MPS Anti-Terrorist Branch and National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, said that today's operation was part of "continuing and extensive inquiries" by police and the security service into alleged international terrorist activity.

He added: "I must stress that the threat from terrorism remains very real. The public must remain watchful and alert.

"This is a complex and protracted investigation, which will be detailed, very thorough and take some time to complete."

Five police forces - involving around 700 officers in total - and the Security Service carried out a series of searches at residential and business premises in Uxbridge, Ilford and Colindale in London; Crawley, Slough, Luton, Horley and Reading.

A total of 24 searches are being undertaken, including detailed forensic examination which is likely to take some time to complete.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police, Bedfordshire Police, Surrey Police, Sussex Police and Thames Valley Police executed search warrants that had been granted under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Mr Clarke added: "As we have said on many occasions in the past, we in the police service know that the overwhelming majority of the Muslim community are law abiding and completely reject all forms of violence. We have a responsibility to all communities to investigate suspected terrorist activity."

(gmcg)