Posted on 10/08/2005 12:33:59 PM PDT by FairOpinion
LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested 10 men suspected of involvement in international terrorism in early morning raids on Saturday in three cities, a police statement said.
The country has been fearful of further attacks since four British Islamic militants blew themselves up and killed 52 passengers on the London transport system in July.
Police would not say what sort of group they targeted in the raids, conducted with help from the Security Service also known as MI5, although they did say the investigation was separate from the probe into the London bombings.
A police spokeswoman would only confirm the arrests were not linked to Irish Republicanism. She would not specify the nationality of those arrested.
Three men were arrested in the Croydon area of south London while seven were arrested in the English Midlands -- four in Wolverhampton and three in Derby, a police statement said.
"At approximately 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) today police executed warrants at three residential addresses, making a total of 10 arrests, all on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000," it said.
"The arrests were made as the result of an intelligence led investigation involving police and the Security Service."
Police were still searching the three locations raided, the statement said.
Analysts say Britain's support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 heightened the chances that Islamic militants would try to mount attacks on British soil.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's government has said Britain was likely to be a target for such groups regardless of Iraq.
It has noted Islamic militants have targeted many countries, including some which opposed the Iraq conflict.
Any Brits hanging out here on FR that can characterize that area and the people who live there?
I thing the dropping of the words "Irish Republicanism" was purely a sop (probably by Reuters) to the PC crowd.
Yeah, Reuters sure wouldn't want anyone to suppose that "Irish Democrats" like Ted Kennedy were involved, would they? :-)
Croydon is a fairly large area of South London suburb. As such, is hard to put in any particular category.
I think you can assume that the people arrested are Islamic, the 'ruling out' of Irish Republicans seems to leave that as the only realistic alternative.
Of the places named, Wolverhampton has an especially large Islamic community.
Britain and France have been making a bunch of arrests the last 2 weeks. I suspect they have gotten someone inside with the Algerians.
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And the non connection to the 7\7 i think anything involving a muslim and an arrest on AQ suspisions is related! Hell thats related to 9-11
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