Teenager held in anti-terror raid

A teenager was arrested under the Terrorism Act today after armed police stormed a house.

The 19-year-old was detained at an address in Birmingham, West Midlands Police said.

Two other men, aged 24 and 36, were detained at the same house in connection with immigration offences.

Officers continued to search the shabby three-bedroom property in Gleave Road, Selly Oak, as two colleagues stood guard outside.

The three, who are thought to be from the Middle East, are believed to have moved into the rented property around 12 months ago, though neighbours on the street appeared to know little about them.

Next door neighbour Diane Azmat said she was woken up shortly before 3.30am as she heard officers, including marksmen and dog handlers, break down the front door.

The 61-year-old said: "I heard the most almighty crash of the front door being smashed open and then the most horrendous scream.

"It frightened me to death. There were dogs barking and police were all there with their guns."

Another resident, 36-year-old mother Sally Bishop, claimed one of the men had brandished a knife at her husband when he confronted them about allegations that they had intimidated a teenage girl over the weekend.

Mrs Bishop said: "My husband knocked on the door to see what it was all about and one of them answered and then went into the house and came back with a big kitchen knife.

"If he'd known then what he knew now, he probably wouldn't have approached them."

She added: "We don't know who they are, really, but you get a lot of people coming and going round here because there are so many houses up for rent."