4 arrested in dawn swoop by terrorism cops in northern England

LONDON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Four men were arrested for suspected terrorism offences in Yorkshire and neighboring Derbyshire early on Tuesday, and an army bomb disposal unit raced to an address in Chesterfield as police raided five properties.

Police said the immediate area surrounding the Chesterfield address had been cordoned off and local residents evacuated while a thorough search was carried out.

Local media reported residents saying their homes were shaken by a series of loud bangs.

Resident Carol Perry, who lives two doors away from one of the targeted houses, said: "I was asleep and then I was woken suddenly by an enormous bang and the house shook. My immediate thought was that it was an earthquake."

A spokesman for North East England Counter Terrorism Unit said: "The public may have heard loud bangs at the time police entered the properties. We would like to reassurance them that this was part of the method of entry to gain access. Residents will be kept as informed as possible."

Police said a 22-year-old man and two others aged 36 and 41, were arrested at their homes in the city of Sheffield on suspicion of being involved in acts of terrorism.

The fourth man, 31, was arrested on suspicion of a similar offence at his home in Chesterfield. The men were taken to a police station in West Yorkshire for questioning.

The terrorism unit spokesman said the arrests were led by intelligence and pre-planned as part of an ongoing investigation by counter terrorism police and Britain's intelligence service MI5.

Police initially began searching three properties in Sheffield and one in Chesterfield in connection with the arrests. Later, police said an additional address was searched in the Stocksbridge area of Sheffield.

Addressing the public, Derbyshire Constabulary assistant chief Constable Bill McWilliam said: "Please be reassured; the arrest we wanted to make has been made. Our advice remains to be vigilant, which is not different to our day-to-day advice in the current climate, but continue to go about your business as usual. We will be working closely with colleagues at the North East Counter Terrorism Unit as this investigation progresses." Enditem