Police arrest 24 in terror raids

Twenty-four people are being held in London after night-time raids. One raid was in Walthamstow, east London.

Searches are under way at a number of businesses and homes after an "unprecedented" level of surveillance.

Two of those arrested under the Terrorism Act came from the Birmingham area, West Midlands police have said.

But police have confirmed that a flat in Walthamstow, believed to be linked to the alleged terror plot, was raided on Wednesday night.
Eyewitness John Weir, who lives opposite a terraced house containing a number of flats in Forest Road, said about 20 officers had forced its front door open at about 2350 BST on Wednesday.

Officers had searched a first floor flat by torchlight but no-one appeared to have been taken out of the property, Mr Weir added.

In east London, police officers were guarding two houses in Albert Road, Walthamstow on Thursday.

At one, forensic officers in blue suits were seen entering and leaving the large end-of-terrace property.

One man, a father of someone who lives close by, said he believed the couple living at the house were foster parents.

He said: "I'm sure they used to foster children. They had five of their own, all girls I think, and then there were always little ones which they fostered."

At a house further down the road, three police officers were guarding a mid-terrace property.

An elderly neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she was "shocked" to see police raiding the address.

She said: "It's a lovely family that lives there. They were Asian and very friendly to everyone. If ever I needed anything I knew I could ask even though I never did."

Police also raided a second house in nearby Folkestone Road in the early hours of this morning.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "All we know is that the police came last night and they told us that one young man was arrested."

The neighbour said he believed a young man was living at the terraced property at the time of Wednesday night's raid.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "This morning two men were arrested under the Terrorism Act in Birmingham.

"The arrests were part of a nationwide counter-terrorism operation co-ordinated by the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorist Branch."

The spokesman said no firearms had been involved and the men were still in custody.

June Lethbridge, 85, lives next door to a property on St Margaret's Road, Ward End, Birmingham which was raided by police.

She said a family had lived at the adjacent property for 12 years but she did not know how many were residents and how many were visitors.

She said: "They've always been very pleasant.

"As far as I know, most of the family are in Pakistan for a wedding at the moment. I haven't seen them come back."

Ms Lethbridge pointed out a purpose-built structure in the back garden where she said lessons were held for children.

She said a dozen or so youngsters attended classes, held in English, in the brick built outhouse two or three times a week.

Ikram Ulhaq, whose 12-year-old daughter received lessons in basic Islam from a woman who lived at the address, described the residents as "peaceful people".

He said: "They were teaching Koran and all that to the young kids, how they read the Koran, how they pray five times a day."

Police also continued to search a property in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham on Thursday afternoon.

This was a two-storey shuttered building on Belchers Lane, in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham, thought to include a business on the ground floor and a residential flat on the first floor.

About 20 officers, including forensic teams were at the scene.

West Midlands Police refused to confirm whether its presence at the address was connected with the anti-terror operation or whether any arrests had been made there.

Local residents said the business had changed hands several times over recent years, going from an industrial cleaning firm to an insurance company and now a company called ACS Management.

Sangita Myska, from the shop, released a statement which said: "We at ACS Management Group had absolutely no involvement in the raids that have taken place at the premises on Aug 10, 2006.

"We are a new company that is renting out the shop unit from the landlord."

In High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, addresses in Walton Drive, Plomer Green Avenue and Micklefield Road were raided.

Nine homes have been evacuated in the Walton Drive area in what police have called a "precautionary measure" and at least one person was arrested.

Specialist Met Police search teams were scouring an area of woodland in High Wycombe on Thursday, half a mile from another residential address in Micklefield Road which was being guarded by police officers.

It is understood this house, a Victorian semi, was also raided overnight by anti-terror squads.

Neighbours said the house had been lived in by an Asian family for around 15 years and that they did not interact much with fellow residents.

Meanwhile, at the far end of Micklefield Road, search teams had cordoned off a large swath of King's Wood, while Thames Valley constables guarded the scene.

Paul Goodman, the Conservative MP for High Wycombe, said he hoped the raid would not lead to reprisals.

"This is a heavy blow to the town where community relations have traditionally been very strong," he said.

He also said it was an "inexpressibly sad day" for the town and that the events highlighted two key points.

"First, that the vast majority of Muslims in High Wycombe and elsewhere are peaceful and law-abiding citizens - and that any hostile action towards them is reprehensible.

"Second, that all Muslims must strive ceaselessly to condemn, confront and root out support for terror from their communities.

"Loyalty to Britain and its way of life must come first."

but 1 thing i do know, 9/11 is definately a plot to get to start a war in the middle east. i have seen hard core evidence on 2 difeerent cd's.

its pathetic.
also, shame on those people who call themselves muslims, yet go public places to blow themselves up along with other innocent civillians. that is not what our religion is about.
islam does not mean terrorist
islam means peace!!

May Allah Ta'ala grant us all sabr in the hardest times. Ameen.

Wassalam