Two held in anti-terror swoops

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Two people were arrested by anti-terrorism police during a series of early morning raids, police said today.

The arrests, which took place at 7am today, followed searches at several properties across Greater Manchester.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "(The raids) were targeting individuals suspected of possession of information that could be used for a terrorism purpose."

Police said the raids had taken place at a ``number of addresses'' in Bolton.The operation was not linked to any other recent anti-terrorism raids and no armed police were involved.

A total of seven addresses in the Tonge Moor and Great Lever areas of Bolton are understood to have been raided. Around 250 officers were involved in the operation as a whole, but police said only 50 officers carried out the actual swoops. The two people arrested are thought to be men. Their ages are not known.

The police spokeswoman said: "Greater Manchester Police anti-terrorism unit has arrested two people and are searching a number of addresses with warrants under the Terrorism Act. The operation began at 7am this morning."

* Relatives of suspected terrorists are to be assigned police family liaison officers to help them deal with the aftermath of an arrest or raid.

The plans have been revealed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), according the the BBC.

Acpo believes the move could help reduce community tensions after high-profile anti-terrorist operations and it may involve a dedicated team of family liaison officers made up of some Muslim officers and community volunteers.

Apparently the plans have been in the pipeline for some time but were given new momentum by the raid earlier this month in Forest Gate, east London.

Police shot Mohammed Abdul Kahar and arrested him and his brother, Abul Koyair. Both men were later released without charge.