Five suspected terrorists were arrested in dawn raids in Birmingham today.

West Midlands Police said the men, aged 29 to 36, were held on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

Officers swooped on five homes in the city at 6am, and two businesses were also searched.

The move followed a “long and complex investigation” by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit. 

A police spokeswoman said the arrests were not related to any immediate plot or threat to public safety. 

They come a year after a terror plot, based in Birmingham and aimed at a British soldier, was smashed by the same unit. The plan was to target, kidnap and behead a Muslim member of the armed services but was uncovered by terrorism officers.

Last year, Chief Constable Sir Paul Scott-Lee revealed that more than 10 terror plots were being hatched and investigated in the West Midlands.

Sir Paul said security services had acknowledged some 30 “priority investigations” under way across the country. He said a third of the inquiries centred on individuals and groups based in the region.