Manchester Evening News : 12 terror suspects arrested

12 terror suspects arrested

April 8, 2009

TWELVE men, suspected of links with al Qaida, were arrested after a series of terror raids in Cheetham Hill and other north west addresses prompted by a security blunder by a senior police officer.

It is understood that three address in Cheetham Hill were searched, including one in Galsworthy Avenue and a cybercafe in Cheetham Hill Road. Police also carried out a raid at Liverpool John Moores University, in Wavertree, Liverpool, and in Lancashire.

It is believed tonight's raids were brought forward following a security leak earlier in the day. Britain's most senior counter terrorism police officer, Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, was caught on camera clutching sensitive documents. He has apologised.

Police sources described the operation as 'significant'. They declined to comment on whether they were connected with any imminent threat.

Cafe

The cafe in the basement of a row of shops on Cheetham Hill Road has a sign outside advertising itself as Cyber Net Cafe and computer repair shop.

Mesu Raza, who lives in a flat above the cafe, said: “I saw police arrest two people and put them in a police van.

“They had handcuffs on, they were Asian men, and the police were armed.

“Two police vans arrived outside the shop and there was more police went round the back. There were many officers and a large number of police vans.”

Galsworthy Avenue

A neighbour who lives next door to a terraced house raided by armed police on Galsworthy Avenue in Cheetham Hill said she thought the men who lived there were from Afghanistan.

Bushra Majid, 33, a housewife, said: “I heard them sometimes in the back yard talking on mobile phones.

“I speak Urdu and they were talking Pashtun, the language of Afghans.

“You can tell between Pakistanis and Afghans and Kurds. Pakistanis and Kurds are whiter and have different style beards. These men were darker with longer beards.”

Shoes

The mother-of-four who has lived next door for seven years, added: “Their house is rented and there is always lots of people coming and going for a few months at a time. There were about six or seven men living there for the last six months.

“Some were aged 45 to 50, others were aged in their 20s. They used to go to the local Al Falah mosque daily. This afternoon I heard a noise at the door and I thought it was the kids playing.

“I opened the door and four or five policemen were on top of a man. They were dragging him along the street and he had no shoes on. They shouted at me, 'Get inside. Get inside.'

“There was a policeman on each corner of the street. They were dressed in black and had machine guns.

“I heard lots of noise inside the house, like people running up and down the stairs.

“There have been lots of terror arrests in Cheetham Hill. You are kind of used to it, but you don't think it will happen next door.”

Machine guns

Billy Mortimer who lives further down Galsworthy Avenue also saw the raid.

He said: “I was just sat watching the TV and I saw a police Range Rover drive up the street, past my house and stop. Then move on, then stop again.

“I got up to have a look and the street was full of armed police with sub machine guns. They had black combat fatigues on.

“I thought it was terrorism straight away. It is a large Asian community and there's been a terror raid further up the street a few years ago.

“They took two men wearing white robes out of the house and ran them up the street, one police on each side, and ran them into the entry where there were even more police. All the street was blocked off by police cars and officers.

“Anyone who went to the door were told to get back inside. It was very fast and very professional.

“After they took them away more police entered wearing gloves and masks and began searching the house.

Safer

His mother, Nellie Mortimer, was given a letter from police explaining a raid had taken place, it stated: “This activity is necessary to protect members of the public.”

Mrs Mortimer added: “This used to be a big Polish and Jewish area, then Asians filtered in. We don't have a problem, everyone gets on and there's never any trouble. I feel safer here than on some estate somewhere.

“Everyone knows each other in the street except that house which is rented so there's always someone coming and going.”

'Call the cops'

Ghouse Mohammed, 28, a student from India studying International Business at Salford University lived next door to the house on Galsworthy Road raided by police.
Mr Mohammed said he had only live there for two months and rarely saw his neighbours.

But a few weeks ago they were having a party and his neighbour came round to complain about the noise.

“He was a guy in his 30s with a big black beard. He said please don't make a noise, children are sleeping inside, otherwise I will call the cops.”

Greater Manchester Police said: "Ten men have been arrested as part of a counter-terrorism operation across the north west of England.

"Officers from the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit supported by Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Constabulary carried out a series of raids within the past hour.

Quick

Mr Quick was filmed clutching sensitive documents as he arrived in Downing Street. Among a large bundle of papers under his arm was a white document clearly marked “secret” and carrying an outline briefing on an ongoing counter-terrorism operation.

The information, which cannot be reported, included the names of several senior officers, locations and details about the nature of the overseas threat.

Mr Quick apologised to Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson tonight following the blunder.

He said he “deeply regretted” leaving the document on show.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Assistant Commissioner Quick accepts he made a mistake on leaving a sensitive document on open view and deeply regrets it. He has apologised to the Commissioner and colleagues.”

The senior officer was due to meet Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to discuss police reform.

It is not the first time Mr Quick has become embroiled in controversy. Last December he apologised for an outburst in which he accused senior Conservatives of leaking a story about his wife's business interests.

The stories followed hot on the heels of his involvement in overseeing the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green as part of a Whitehall leak inquiry.