Explosives at terror suspect's home

A man suspected of having links with al Qaida has been arrested in a major anti-terrorism raid.

Explosive material was later found at his home and was removed safely, Scotland Yard said.

Scotland Yard would not comment on reports that the suspect may have been planning a suicide attack on a football ground or nearby GCHQ.

Mr Blunkett said he was "very pleased" that the intelligence, security service and Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist branch SO13 had "acted promptly".

Information from intelligence sources showed the 24-year-old from Gloucester posed "a very real threat to the life and liberty of our country," Mr Blunkett said.

In a separate operation, a 39-year-old Manchester man was arrested at an undisclosed address in the city.

Both men were arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act "on suspicion of involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism," Scotland Yard and Greater Manchester police confirmed.

Scotland Yard would not confirm reports that the Gloucester suspect, a Briton who is of Asian descent, has links to shoe bomber Richard Reid who tried to blow up an American Airlines Paris to Miami jet carrying 197 passengers in December 2001.

The self-confessed al Qaida terrorist was sentenced to 110 years plus three life sentences in January.

The arrests come after Britain's state of terrorist alert was recently increased from "significant" to "severe general" following new intelligence of an al Qaida plot.

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