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Terror suspects held in raids
Police search the storage unit in Hanwell where fertiliser was found
Eight British men suspected of being involved in terrorist activity have been arrested in a series of raids across the south of England.
More than half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertiliser was also seized from a self storage unit in west London.
Raids by five forces, involving 700 officers, were carried out on 24 premises early on Tuesday morning.
The men arrested were aged between 17 and 32 and are believed to be of Pakistani descent.
Head of Scotland Yard's terrorist branch Peter Clarke said warrants were issued under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The raids were coordinated by the Met Police's terror branch
The men, all British citizens, were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Two were arrested in Uxbridge, west London, three in Crawley, West Sussex, and one each in Ilford, east London, Slough, Berkshire, and Horley, Surrey.
There were also raids at houses and businesses in Colindale, north London, Luton and Reading.
The fertiliser was found in a lock-up in Boston Road, Hanwell, west London.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said half a ton was a "massive amount".
He said ammonium nitrate was a common component in bombs, and had been used in the attack in Bali in 2002.
"This is a complex and protracted investigation, which will be detailed, very thorough and take some time to complete"
Peter Clarke
National Anti-Terrorism Co-ordinator
It was also used in the Istanbul bombing last year, the Oklahoma bombing in 1995 and is believed to have been used by al-Qaeda in an attack on the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998.
"If that amount had been turned into a bomb and used in central London it would have killed a lot of people," said Mr Gardner.
"They are saying this is by far and away the biggest and most important counter terrorist operation undertaken in recent years both by MI5 and by Scotland Yard."
He said MI6 had also been involved because of the international dimension of most suspected Islamist terrorist activities.
"The first phase is over but we are told to expect further activities and probably further arrests," Mr Gardner said.
AMMONIUM NITRATE - THE FACTS
Millions of tonnes produced each year for use as fertiliser
Sales of the fertiliser are tightly restricted in the EU
Mining companies mix small amounts of explosive grade ammonium nitrate with fuel oil to create explosives
It is "not impossible" to make explosives with fertiliser grade
Used in several IRA bombings
Also used in the Bali and Oklahoma City bombings
Source: New Scientist
Mr Clarke, who is national co-ordinator of terrorist investigations, said premises were still being searched by forensics teams.
He assured the Muslim community that the police knew the "overwhelming majority are law abiding and completely reject all forms of violence".
"We have a responsibility to all communities to investigate suspected terrorist activity," he said.
He added that the operation was not linked to the bombs in Madrid or Irish Republican terrorist activities and that there had been no danger to the public.
Mr Clarke said: "Today's operation is part of continuing and extensive inquiries by police and the security service into alleged international terrorist activity and I must stress that the threat from terrorism remains very real. The public must remain watchful and alert."
Terror alert
Anti-terrorist police have been on a high state of alert since Christmas and one step off the highest alert in London.
BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said MI5 and counter terrorism police had been watching the addresses raided "for very many weeks".
"They removed this massive amount of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, have taken it away and it's now in police forensic labs being analysed," she said.
She said the suspects had been taken to two high security police stations in London for questioning.
Following the bombings in Madrid, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir John Stevens said an attack on London was "inevitable".
Home Secretary David Blunkett said after the raids: "While it is for the appropriate authorities to decide what action is taken against those individuals arrested today, the fact that such action was felt necessary is a timely reminder that the UK and its interests abroad remain a target."
Tuesday's operation is the latest in a series of raids carried out by anti-terror police, most of which resulted in suspects being released without charge.
Some raids have led to prosecutions which are waiting to go to trial. No further details can be given for legal reasons.
Police search the storage unit in Hanwell where fertiliser was found
Eight British men suspected of being involved in terrorist activity have been arrested in a series of raids across the south of England.
More than half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertiliser was also seized from a self storage unit in west London.
Raids by five forces, involving 700 officers, were carried out on 24 premises early on Tuesday morning.
The men arrested were aged between 17 and 32 and are believed to be of Pakistani descent.
Head of Scotland Yard's terrorist branch Peter Clarke said warrants were issued under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The raids were coordinated by the Met Police's terror branch
The men, all British citizens, were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Two were arrested in Uxbridge, west London, three in Crawley, West Sussex, and one each in Ilford, east London, Slough, Berkshire, and Horley, Surrey.
There were also raids at houses and businesses in Colindale, north London, Luton and Reading.
The fertiliser was found in a lock-up in Boston Road, Hanwell, west London.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said half a ton was a "massive amount".
He said ammonium nitrate was a common component in bombs, and had been used in the attack in Bali in 2002.
"This is a complex and protracted investigation, which will be detailed, very thorough and take some time to complete"
Peter Clarke
National Anti-Terrorism Co-ordinator
It was also used in the Istanbul bombing last year, the Oklahoma bombing in 1995 and is believed to have been used by al-Qaeda in an attack on the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998.
"If that amount had been turned into a bomb and used in central London it would have killed a lot of people," said Mr Gardner.
"They are saying this is by far and away the biggest and most important counter terrorist operation undertaken in recent years both by MI5 and by Scotland Yard."
He said MI6 had also been involved because of the international dimension of most suspected Islamist terrorist activities.
"The first phase is over but we are told to expect further activities and probably further arrests," Mr Gardner said.
AMMONIUM NITRATE - THE FACTS
Millions of tonnes produced each year for use as fertiliser
Sales of the fertiliser are tightly restricted in the EU
Mining companies mix small amounts of explosive grade ammonium nitrate with fuel oil to create explosives
It is "not impossible" to make explosives with fertiliser grade
Used in several IRA bombings
Also used in the Bali and Oklahoma City bombings
Source: New Scientist
Mr Clarke, who is national co-ordinator of terrorist investigations, said premises were still being searched by forensics teams.
He assured the Muslim community that the police knew the "overwhelming majority are law abiding and completely reject all forms of violence".
"We have a responsibility to all communities to investigate suspected terrorist activity," he said.
He added that the operation was not linked to the bombs in Madrid or Irish Republican terrorist activities and that there had been no danger to the public.
Mr Clarke said: "Today's operation is part of continuing and extensive inquiries by police and the security service into alleged international terrorist activity and I must stress that the threat from terrorism remains very real. The public must remain watchful and alert."
Terror alert
Anti-terrorist police have been on a high state of alert since Christmas and one step off the highest alert in London.
BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore said MI5 and counter terrorism police had been watching the addresses raided "for very many weeks".
"They removed this massive amount of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, have taken it away and it's now in police forensic labs being analysed," she said.
She said the suspects had been taken to two high security police stations in London for questioning.
Following the bombings in Madrid, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir John Stevens said an attack on London was "inevitable".
Home Secretary David Blunkett said after the raids: "While it is for the appropriate authorities to decide what action is taken against those individuals arrested today, the fact that such action was felt necessary is a timely reminder that the UK and its interests abroad remain a target."
Tuesday's operation is the latest in a series of raids carried out by anti-terror police, most of which resulted in suspects being released without charge.
Some raids have led to prosecutions which are waiting to go to trial. No further details can be given for legal reasons.
