Seven more jihad terror arrests as police find "weapons hidden in car"

The Daily Mail, clueless as ever, focuses on race -- note the "white Muslim convert" in its headline, while calling the additional people arrested today "one man from West Yorkshire and six from the West Midlands," as if there were something about West Yorkshire and the West Midlands that would make people want to go on jihad. "Seven more terror arrests as police find 'weapons hidden in car' just a day after Olympic round-up that saw white Muslim convert captured," by Graham Smith, Stephen Wright and Chris Greenwood in the Daily Mail, July 6 

Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after firearms and other weapons were found 'hidden' in a car.

One man from West Yorkshire and six from the West Midlands are being questioned on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism following a series of arrests this week, police said today.

News of the arrests comes a day after six people, including a white Muslim convert, were detained over an alleged plan to carry out a major terrorist attack, possibly during the Olympics.

A West Midlands police spokesman said that officers found material including firearms following a routine stop on the M1 in South Yorkshire last weekend.

He said: 'The arrests followed a routine stop of a vehicle by police on the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire on Saturday. The car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance.

'Firearms, offensive weapons and other material were later found hidden inside, prompting police to take action to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and others suspected of being involved.'

Police said three men aged 23, 26 and 27 from Sparkhill, Birmingham, were arrested on Tuesday morning.

Three more suspects, a 22-year-old from Alum Rock, Birmingham, a 24-year-old from the Moseley area of the city, and a 22-year-old from Smethwick, West Midlands, were arrested on Wednesday evening.

A 43-year old man from Kirklees, West Yorkshire, was detained yesterday.

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.'

Police said the contents of the car were undergoing forensic analysis and the suspects' homes had been searched.

Detectives have been given extra time to question the three men arrested on Tuesday, after the initial 48-hour detention period ran out. They now have until next Tuesday morning to charge or release the men, or apply for a further warrant.

All seven men are being held in the West Midlands.

A West Midlands police spokesman said that officers found material including firearms following a routine stop on the M1 in South Yorkshire last weekend.

 He said: 'The arrests followed a routine stop of a vehicle by police between J33 and 34 on the southbound side of the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire on Saturday. The car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance.


 'Firearms, offensive weapons and other material were later found hidden inside, prompting police to take action to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and others suspected of being involved. 

There were two firearms recovered. They are not automatic. They were not loaded and there was also a small amount of ammunition.'

 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.'

Police said the contents of the car were undergoing forensic analysis and the suspects' homes had been searched.

The arrests come a day after a white Muslim convert who once worked as a BBC security guard was among six people arrested over an alleged plan to cause an atrocity in the UK.

Also among those detained was a former police community support officer, who was arrested at a home just half a mile from the Olympic Stadium.

In April last year Richard Dart, using the name Salahuddin Al Britani, appeared in an internet video uploaded by a Muslim group vowing to disrupt the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Elswhere, Jahangir Alom, 26, who spent two years working for the Metropolitan Police, was also detained.

The former police community support officer, dubbed 'Blunkett Bobbies' because they were introduced when David Blunkett was Home Secretary, and his two younger brothers were arrested at 4am at their family home half a mile from the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London.

The remaining two were a woman aged 30 and man of 21, who were arrested at separate homes in West London yesterday, on suspicion of being part of the terrorist plot.

Last night, the suspects' alleged targets were unclear, as was how it is alleged they planned to strike.

But security sources described the arrests 'as very significant' and counter-terrorism chiefs are convinced they have thwarted a major attack.