Terror search continues in city

West Midlands Police continue to search eight properties

Police are continuing their search of eight properties in Birmingham after the arrest of five men under the Terrorism Act in dawn raids.

The father of one of them, Mohammed Shabir, 29, of Sparkhill in Birmingham said his son has "never been bad".

Sobat Khan, 66, described him as a quiet, hard-working man.

The men aged 29 to 36 were arrested on Tuesday. West Midlands Police said the action followed a complex investigation by its counter-terrorism unit.

'Shocked'

The dawn raids took place in the Sparkhill, Ward End, Hodge Hill, Bordesley Green and Aston areas of Birmingham.

Police are also searching another house in Stechford, Birmingham, and two business properties - one in central Birmingham, and another in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

He is not bad, he has never been bad - all his life, I have had no trouble from him Sobat Khan, father

Mr Shabir's father said his son worked in a steel factory in West Bromwich and had a wife and eight-year-old son.

The father-of-four said: "He is not bad, he has never been bad. All his life, I have had no trouble from him. He just goes to work, that is all."

Neighbour Imran Salemm, 27, said: "I can't believe he has been arrested. He is the quietest guy you could meet.

"He is so quiet he walks down the street with his head down... he is the last person I would expect to be arrested. I am shocked."