UK: 2 of 9 men held for alleged terror kidnap plot released

Detectives granted a further 72 hours to question the remaining seven suspects.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
uk policewoman 88 (photo credit: AP)
uk policewoman 88
(photo credit: AP)
Police on Wednesday released two of the nine men arrested last week on suspicion of involvement in a terrorist kidnapping plot. West Midlands Police on Tuesday had gained court permission to extend the interrogation of the suspects who were arrested in raids in Birmingham. News reports claimed the men were suspected to planning to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier. After the two men were released, their lawyer Garth Pierce said they left "without any better understanding of why they were there than when they first arrived seven days ago." "Not a word was ever mentioned to either of them about a plot to kidnap or the gristly suggestion of a beheading or even of a soldier at all. Both have been met with a consistent refusal over seven days for any explanation for their arrest," Pierce said. "They are convinced that others in the police station must be as innocent as they and urge that they also be swiftly released." Detectives were granted a further 72 hours on Tuesday to question the remaining seven suspects.