The US Government’s global manhunt has thwarted two terrorist attacks since September 11 and gathered evidence suggesting collaborators were working on several other plots to harm US interests at home and abroad, officials said.

One of the six suspected terrorists arrested in Spain yesterday may have been planning a suicide bomb attack on US interests in Ireland.

French anti-terrorist police arrested at least four people today in connection with a planned attack on the US embassy in Paris and other American interests in France, police said.