UK holds four at airport

2005-08-16 18:22

London - Four people have been arrested in Manchester, England, under Britain's main anti-terrorist law, said police on Tuesday, adding that it was unclear whether they were linked to the London bombings.

Greater Manchester police said the four - two men, aged 48 and 23, and two women, 48 and 27 - were detained in the early hours of Monday at Manchester Airport, prompting a raid later in the day on a house in Dudley, Birmingham.

They were taken to a Manchester police station to be questioned under Section 15 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which referred to providing money or other property suspected of being used for terrorist purposes.

Police said: "At this stage we do not believe the arrests have any apparent links with recent terrorist activity in London."

39 people held for UK bombings

At least 56 people were killed, including four apparent suicide bombers, in the July 7 attacks on three London subway trains and a double-decker bus, followed two weeks later by a failed attempt to repeat the bombings.

Thirty-nine people had been arrested in connection with the London attacks. The majority had been released, but three had been charged with attempted murder in connection with the July 21 would-be bombings.

Others had been charged with failing to give vital information to police.

Home secretary Charles Clarke said Monday that police had yet to formally establish "a direct linkage" between the July 7 and July 21 incidents.

- AFP