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| Britain |
| Three held after ’bombs’ found |
| 2003-03-19 |
| Three men have been arrested under anti-terrorism laws, after two "home-made bombs" were discovered at a flat in Sussex. Police are continuing to search a property near Gatwick Airport in Langley Green, Crawley, after the discovery on Tuesday. Sussex Police have not confirmed reports that the three men arrested were Portuguese, saying only that they are of Western European origin. The arrests were made under the Terrorism Act 2000 after two "viable improvised explosive devices" were found during a routine inquiry. Inspector Geoff Sharnock said: "They are effectively home-made bombs. Three men have been arrested. One was arrested elsewhere and two were arrested at the flat." Inspector Sharnock refused to say where the third man was arrested but added: "They are all European men. Bomb disposal experts have gone into the premises to make sure the devices were safe." "Hell, they're only bombs, but they could be dangerous." Detective Chief Inspector Tony O'Donnell said: "At this stage the search of the address is continuing and it's too early to speculate on the motive behind this incident. It has not, at this stage, been linked to any target or specific organisation. I'd hazard a guess Gatwick might have been considered. Are these guys "West Europeans" in the same way the last bomb carrier near Gawick was "Venezuelan"? Local residents told reporters they believed the men may have been airport workers, but there has been no confirmation of this by police. A police cordon was put up near the flat and more than a dozen police officers were guarding the property, located above an engraving shop. It is understood a small number of local residents were evacuated from their homes when the search began. The manager of a public house on the parade said police began arriving at the address from 1600 (GMT) on Tuesday, followed by officers from the "bomb squad" who attended the flat at about 1800 (GMT). Local residents said they thought the men worked at Gatwick Airport. Pinakin Patel, the owner of Kandies Sweets in Langley Parade, said: "They often came back wearing airport-style clothes as if they were cleaners or something." Police would not comment on whether the arrest operation was connected to the airport. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, suspects can be questioned for up to a week without charge, with the permission of magistrates. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |