Seven men in Britain arrested in anti-terror raids

Police have arrested a total of seven men in the UK in conjunction with suspected terrorist activity, the police have stated.

17:31 08 July 2012

Police have arrested a total of seven men in the UK in conjunction with suspected terrorist activity, the police have stated. 

Six men from the West Midlands and one from West Yorkshire were detained over the course of three days, West Midlands Police have confirmed to the BBC. 

The raid followed a routine stop of a car on the M1 motorway in south Yorkshire on last Saturday. Upon inspecting the vehicle, traffic officers discovered a cache of firearms and other weapons inside after the car was impounded for having no insurance. 

The police then traced the driver, passenger and associates who were then arrested. 

The BBC reported that "three men aged 23, 26 and 27 from Sparkhill, Birmingham, were arrested on Tuesday morning.

"A 22-year-old from Alum Rock, Birmingham, a 24-year-old from Moseley and a 22-year-old from Smethwick, West Midlands, were arrested on Wednesday evening.

"A 43-year old man from Kirklees, West Yorkshire, was arrested on Thursday."

Detective Chief Superintendent Kenny Bell, head of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "As soon as the items were discovered in the impounded vehicle, our priority was to protect the public by pursuing and arresting those we believed to be involved."

It has been speculated that the arrests are not linked with the upcoming Olympics or the arrests of six other suspected terrorists in London last Thursday.