Terror arrests: police release two without charge

Two of the nine terror suspects arrested in last week's Birmingham raids have been released without charge, their solicitor said today.

In a statement after their release from Coventry's Chace Avenue police station in the early hours of today, the men said there had been no mention to them by police of a plot to kidnap or behead any soldier.

Their solicitor Gareth Peirce said: "They have left the police station without any better understanding of why they were there than when they first arrived seven days ago.

"Not a word was ever mentioned to either of them about a plot to kidnap or the grisly suggestion of a beheading or even of a soldier at all.

"Both have been met with a consistent refusal over seven days for any explanation for their arrest.

"They are convinced that others in the police station must be as innocent as they and urge that they also be swiftly released."

Detectives were granted a further 72 hours yesterday to question the seven other suspects.

Eight of the suspects were picked up in a series of dawn raids last Wednesday while the ninth was stopped on a motorway in the city several hours later.

The alleged plot involved a plan to abduct and behead a Muslim British soldier, according to sources.

West Midlands Police said on Monday they had finished their searches of 18 residential and commercial properties raided last Wednesday and Friday.