British police arrested a group of suspected Islamic extremists Monday in one of the most significant counter-terror operations of the year. Six men,aged between 25 and 32,were arrested overnight on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism on British soil and a 22-year-old woman was held on suspicion of failing to disclose information that could help prevent an act of terrorism,a police statement said. All were described as being British residents,and police would not give any details about nationalities or ethnicity. Officers were carrying out raids on several homes and a commercial property in the central city of Birmingham as part of the intelligence-led operation. Although the plot was in its early stages and targets werent immediately known,British security officials said the threat appeared significant and involved Islamic extremists. Authorities said it didnt appear that ongoing political conferences were the intended target. West Midlands assistant police chief Marcus Beale said the suspects were arrested in or near their homes by unarmed police officers as part of a large,pre-planned,intelligence-led counter terrorism operation. The threat level remained at substantial Monday. As more details emerge of this plot,the threat level may be reassessed, according to a British government official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Britain lowered its assessment of a terrorist attack from severe to substantial in July. The current threat level means risk of an attack is a strong possibility. There are five levels of threat,from low,meaning an attack is unlikely,to critical,meaning an attack is imminent. Substantial is the third level. The threat level was last at critical in June 2007,following an attack on Glasgow Airport and failed car bombings in central London. Last year,British authorities arrested 12 suspects in a large-scale terror attack aimed at attacking British landmarks and public spaces. At least five of the men were of Bangladeshi origin. Europe has been the target of numerous terror plots by Islamist militants. The deadliest was the 2004 Madrid train bombings,when shrapnel-filled bombs exploded,killing 191 people and wounding about 1,800. In 2005,suicide bombers killed 52 rush-hour commuters in London aboard three subway trains and a bus. In 2006,US and British intelligence officials thwarted one of the largest plots yet,a plan to explode nearly a dozen trans-Atlantic airliners. Beale said he could give no details about what the men were suspected of. However,I believe it was necessary to take action at this time in order to ensure public safety, he said in a statement.
