Seven Men Arrested in UK on Suspicion of Terrorism

Photodisc/Digital Vision/Thinkstock(LONDON) — Seven men with suspected ties to terrorism were arrested this week in Britain following a routine vehicle stop, police said on Friday.

The men, ranging in age from 22 to 43, were detained between Tuesday morning and Thursday evening on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.  The news of their arrests comes one day after British police announced they had arrested five men and one woman as part of a months-long international terror probe.

The latest arrests, however, were not part of that ongoing investigation.

“The arrests followed a routine stop of a vehicle by police on the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire on Saturday (June 30th),” West Midlands Police said in a statement.  “The car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance.  Firearms, offensive weapons and other material were later found hidden inside, prompting police to take action to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and others suspected of being involved.”

Authorities are analyzing the materials found in the car and are carrying out searches of the suspects’ homes.  All seven are being held in the West Midlands area.

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