Anti-terror raids latest in series

Hundreds of police officers took part in the Forest Gate raids

The massive anti-terror operation to foil alleged attempts to blow up transatlantic flights is the latest in a series in the UK.

This week was not the first time police have swooped to arrest people with suspected links to Muslim extremists, nor is it likely to be the last.

One high-profile operation took place in March 2004 when seven men were arrested and later charged with conspiring with a Canadian to cause explosions in the UK, in what was termed Operation Crevice. All seven deny the charges.

This operation was carried out by the security services, Special Branch and the Metropolitan Police's anti-terrorism squad.

The subsequent trial is ongoing at the Old Bailey, and the jury there has been told the men allegedly spoke of attacking Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, as well as spiking football fans' beer.

Arrests and charges under Terrorism Act 2000 895 people arrested between 11 September 2001 and 30 September 2005. 496 released without charge 138 charged under the Act, 62 of these also charged with offences under other legislation 23 were convicted of offences under the Terrorism Act 156 were charged under other existing legislation for offences such as murder or grievous bodily harm

Omar Khyam, his brother Shujah Mahmood, Waheed Mahmood, and Jawad Akbar, all from Crawley, West Sussex, Salahuddin Amin, from Luton, Bedfordshire, Anthony Garcia, of Ilford, east London, and Nabeel Hussain, of Horley, Surrey, deny conspiring to cause explosions in Britain.

Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain also deny a charge under the Terrorism Act of possessing 1,300lb (600kg) of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for terrorism.

Furthermore, Mr Khyam and Shujah Mahmood deny possessing aluminium powder for terrorism.

There have been high profile raids, however, which have not yielded a prosecution, let alone a conviction.

The raids in east London's Forest Gate saw the arrest of Mohammed Abdulkahar, who was shot during the 2 June incident, and his brother Abul Koyair after an operation involving 250 police officers who were looking for a suspected chemical device.

But, after a painstaking search of their home in Lansdown Road and the adjoining property, both men were freed without charge, angering both those living in the Forest Gate community and beyond.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating complaints by neighbours of the raided house that they were assaulted, as well as conducting an inquiry into how Mr Abdulkahar was shot in the shoulder.