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Pakistanis and Afghans arrested
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent9 Apr 2009
POLICE smashed an alleged al Qaeda bomb plot as they arrested 12 men in raids across the north- west of England.
The raids, which had been due to take place this morning, were brought forward after Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick was photographed with top-secret files concerning the operation.
Instead police in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside made co-ordinated searches of up to 10 addresses yesterday.
Sources said those held were suspected of plotting a major terrorist bomb attack in Britain, with the Trafford Centre and Manchester nightclub the Birdcage as possible targets.
Ten of those arrested were Pakistani nationals with student visas. There were reports that two were Afghani nationals.
Travel agent Fazal Hussain said one those held was of Pakistani-Finnish descent. Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Porter, head of the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit, said police had acted on intelligence received.
One suspect was held at Liverpool's John Moores University, two at a home improvements store in Clitheroe, Lancashire, and one on a motorway in Manchester.
Four others were held in Liverpool and four in Manchester.
Those arrested ranged from a teenager to a 41-year-old man, police said.
