Terror swoop - three released

Three men arrested in an anti-terrorism swoop in north-east England were released without charge tonight, police said.

A further three men who were arrested in the dawn raids on Tuesday morning continued to be questioned, a spokesman for Durham Police said.

He said: ‘‘Three of the men being held by Durham Constabulary under the Terrorism Act 2000 have tonight been released without charge.

‘‘The trio, whose ages range from 29 to 46, were arrested earlier this week in Darlington.’’

The other three were arrested at addresses on Teesside.

The arrests formed part of a joint operation by neighbouring Durham and Cleveland police.

The addresses raided included two kebab shops, one in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool and one in Redcar.

Detective Superintendent Harry Stephenson, of Durham Police, who is coordinating the joint operation, said tonight: ‘‘Our terrorism investigation has yet to be completed and our inquiries will continue.’’

Up to 150 officers, including armed police, staged simultaneous raids at the properties and arrested the men, aged between 29 and 46, on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.

It emerged after the swoops that the arrests were not linked to any Irish terrorist groups, the events in America on September 11 or the recent arrests in Leicester.

The arrests were in connection with an investigation into alleged fundraising for Islamic fundamentalist organisations and as part of ‘‘ongoing inquiries into international terrorism’’.