Three men held by police after anti-terror swoop at airport

Staff at Manchester Airport knew nothing of the police operation until after the arrests (file picture)

The airport arrests were carried out so discreetly that terminal staff knew nothing about them until the operation was over.

Bill Crawshaw, terminal duty manager at Manchester airport, said: 'This has had no effect on the airport. It is a total police operation and we didn't even know that it had happened until afterwards.'

Police sources confirmed that detectives and forensics officers are searching two addresses in one street in the Audley Range area of Blackburn, as well as a third house in nearby Whalley Range.

Two of the addresses are close to the garage where terrorist Junade Feroze worked.

Feroze, 31, was jailed last year for 22 years for helping al-Qaeda operative Dhiren Barot prepare the way for bomb plots in the UK and America.

Feroze acted as lookout while his collaborators met in secret to plot attacks against targets.

Jailed: Junade Feroze

He admitted conspiracy to cause explosions and was described as skilled in anti-surveillance techniques as he tried to throw the scent off Barot.

Blackburn is also associated with shoe bomber Richard Reid's co-conspirator Sajid Badat, 24, who studied at the College of Islamic Knowledge and Guidance there.

However, the arrests last night are understood to be unconnected with previous terror attacks and to be at the 'less serious' end of the scale for such offences.

Audley ward councillor Zamir Khan said he was 'very surprised' at the latest arrests.

Mr Khan said: 'I was shocked when I learned Feroze was involved in terrorism and I am equally shocked there have been arrests again so close to where I live.

'This has come out of the blue again. The community was very calm back then and it is now.'

Chief Superintendent Andy Rhodes said: 'Lancashire constabulary will investigate any information that is passed to us and ensure it is accurate before responding in a proportionate and measured way.

'These arrests and subsequent searches of the nearby premises will be conducted with sensitivity and carried out as quickly as possible to ensure minimum impact on the three areas concerned.

'However, these types of inquiries can be complex and may take time to resolve.

'I would ask local residents to be patient with us and to be assured that we will keep them updated in relation to the investigation, as and when we can.'