Two held in terror cell raid

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Officers from Scotland Yard's extradition unit supported by counter-terrorist officers swooped on homes in London and Manchester.

In a series of co-ordinated raids, 18 other suspected members of the Islamic extremist cell were arrested in Italy, France and Portugal. Italian police said the cell, based in northern Italy, recruited insurgents to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Scotland Yard said the two men are accused of forging documents to help volunteers enter Italy illegally and now face extradition.

Ali Chehidi, 34, and Mohamed Khemiri, 53, are due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Phone calls intercepted by the Italian security services suggested that the plot could date back to 1998.

Eleven suspects were arrested in the northern Italian cities of Milan, Reggio Emilia, Imperia and Bergamo.

Italian Interior Minister Giuliano Amato said most of the arrested people were from Tunisia.

In operations that also involved local officers, Chehidi was arrested at Burcott Road, Purley, while Khemiri was arrested at Dinnington Drive, Manchester.

A spokeswoman said: "Greater Manchester Police's Counter Terrorism Unit have ... assisted the Metropolitan Police to arrest a man in Manchester. The Metropolitan Police Extradition Unit arrested the man ... on an international arrest warrant."