Five arrested on suspicion of terrorism

Five people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences, as part of an investigation connected to recent attacks in Paris and Brussels, West Midlands Police have said. Police arrested three men, aged 26, 40 and 59, along with a 29 year old women on Thursday 14 April. A further man, aged 26, was arrested Friday 15 April. All of the suspects are from Birmingham and their arrests were described by Whitehall officials as ‘significant’. The Police worked with MI5 and Belgian and French authorities in an operation ‘to address any associated threat to the UK following the attacks in Europe’. They also maintained that there had been no risk to the public at any time and there was no information to suggest an attack on the UK was being planned. It is understood that the man arrested at Gatwick Airport had just arrived on a flight from North Africa. The suspects are currently being held in the West Midlands on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Officers are continuing to search numerous properties in Birmingham. Marcus Beale, assistant chief constable, who leads on counter-terrorism for the force, claimed the operation was part of a wider ‘extensive investigation’, and that the arrests were ‘pre-planned and intelligence-led’.