Scotland Yard swoop on British Al Qaeda gang

While the Al Qaeda suspect was arrested, the police also evacuated more than 100 houses in the area. Local residents were temporarily given shelter in a community centre.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: ‘‘Searches at the address in Gloucester are ongoing. Buildings in the vicinity have been evacuated due to suspicions that explosives may be there. Anti-terrorist officers are working with Lancashire Constabulary who are also searching two addresses in Blackburn.’’ Scotland Yard would not comment on reports that the suspect was planning a suicide attack on a football ground. A ‘‘small amount’’ of explosives was found, which was removed and is being examined, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

The police also searched two houses in Blackburn. Police headquarters in Scotland Yard later announced that another man, aged 33, was arrested by anti-terrorist officers in Birmingham in an unrelated operation. His home and five other addresses in the central English city were being searched in what was believed to be another investigation related to international terrorism.British Home Secretary David Blunkett confirmed the arrested man was suspected to have links with Al Qaeda. In an interview with the BBC he said: ‘‘We wouldn’t have taken these steps if we didn’t believe this individual posed a very real threat to the life and liberty of this country.’’

Blunkett said: ‘‘There has been an evacuation of a nearby mosque. There is a concern that this individual had in his possession explosives. We believe he is part of a wider network and we’re very pleased that the intelligence and security service and SO13 have acted so promptly.’’

According to Ibrahim Master, the chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques the arrested man has been a student at the College of Islamic Knowledge and Guidance in Blackburn.

Local residents said the suspect was a ‘‘well-educated and quiet man and always respected the elders.’’ Community leaders have expressed shock at these developments and are ‘‘fully cooperating’’ with the police in the search of college and the nearby mosque.

Scotland Yard confirmed that both men have been arrested under the newly enacted Section 41 of the Terrorism Act ‘‘on suspicion of involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.’’

Blunkett said: ‘‘It is another nail in the coffin of those who would threaten our life and liberty. We will know shortly from the forensic scientists the exact nature of the materials that have been obtained in the raid, and of course the nature of the connections that this individual has with the wider Al Qaeda network.’’

Only last week after reliable intelligence reports Blair government increased Britain’s terrorist threat level and warned people to remain vigilant of the possibility of a terrorist attack.