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Anti-terror police swoop on two homes
ANTI-TERROR police have swooped on two South Yorkshire homes and made three arrests.
Specialists from the Counter Terrorism Unit in Leeds were alerted on Sunday after police investigating a burglary in Aston, near Sheffield, found "suspicious material" inside the property.
A search of the house suggested links to a property on Alexander Road, Swallownest, also near Sheffield, and when officers raided the home in the early hours of Monday they discovered more items of concern.
The nature of the material has not yet been disclosed but an army bomb disposal unit was called to the Swallownest address yesterday.
Materials likely to cause concern and trigger arrests under the Terrorism Act include explosives but also items connected to certain political or ideological causes or anything which suggests an intent to cause harm.
Two men and a woman were initially arrested on suspicion of burglary and drug-related offences but after the search of the Swallownest address they were arrested under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The two men, aged 34 and 37, and the 20-year-old woman have been detained in South Yorkshire for questioning.
Police have been granted an extended period of time to quiz them because their arrests relate to terrorism. A judge in London had to agree to an extension of the normal detention laws and will re-assess the case tomorrow if officers want more time.
Kim Roebuck, who lives on Alexander Road, which was still under police guard this morning, said police have not spoken to residents.
"They came in the early hours of Monday and have been at the house ever since, with cars and vans coming and going all the time but we were never told anything even though we knew it must have been something serious," she said.
"My partner went to ask a policeman and was told there were people in the cells and he couldn't say any more, which wasn't very reassuring.
"When the bomb disposal unit came it became even more worrying. To hear that this could be to do with terrorism is worrying because this is a good, quiet area to live but people do keep themselves to themselves so you don't know everyone.
"I only ever see a woman with a baby at the house."
A Counter Terrorism Unit spokeswoman said: "Suspicious material was discovered at a house in Aston. A number of safety measures have been taken including the support of specialist teams who have carried out thorough searches at both addresses, recovering further items from the second address.
"Neither property is believed to present a risk to local residents.Enquiries are under way by officers from the Counter Terrorism Unit-Leeds and South Yorkshire Police. Searches at one premise are now concluded but they continue at the other address."
The Leeds-based Counter Terrorism Unit is one of only four in the country.
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
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Light snow
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