BRITAIN: A stun gun, a blank-firing replica firearm and CS gas canister were among items seized by police during an early morning raid on a London mosque yesterday.
Seven people - six described as north African and one as east European - were still being held by anti-terrorist officers under the Terrorism Act last night after the "intelligence-led" operation during which a large number of documents, including passports, credit cards and identity cards, were also seized and taken for examination.
Although no chemical substances were found at the mosque, Scotland Yard said the operation - which involved helicopters, dozens of police vans and 150 officers, was linked to the discovery of traces of the poison ricin at nearby Wood Green in north London a fortnight ago.
The controversial cleric at the North London Central Mosque, Sheikh Abu Hamza - who was not one of the men arrested - accused the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and police of using "Rambo" tactics to effect "a clear desecration." He claimed the search of the mosque and two nearby properties presumed already under constant surveillance was "provocative" and propagandist in "the heartland of Algerian people in London".
The Charity Commission is currently attempting to expel the radical preacher as an agent at the mosque because of his extremist views. Hamza won backing from Anjern Choudary, the British leader of Al-Muhajiroun, who said the police action was "a gross violation" of the Islamic faith.
Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim parliament, also condemned the raid while speaking out against Abu Hamza. Suggesting it could have been handled more discreetly, Dr Siddiqui said it would increase Islamaphobia and fuel racism.
Asked about Abu Hamza's involvement at the mosque, he said: "This is not the first time he has courted bin Laden. There are enough laws to deal with this situation. This is the culmination of a long process by police investigating Abu Hamza. Why wasn't the man apprehended before?"
Police insisted the raid was carried out sensitively and focused on office and accommodation areas rather than parts of the mosque used for prayers.
The Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Mr Andy Trotter, also insisted the raid - sparked by intelligence suggesting the mosque had been involved in recruiting terrorists and supporting terrorism in Britain and abroad - had been successful. He expected it to lead to "more action in the future" as "part of our determined effort to keep the country safe".
The Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, gave the police his "complete support" as did Mr Blair.
While accepting police and security services could not have "no-go areas", Liberal Democrat MP Mr Simon Hughes said it was time for faith communities to agree procedures with the authorities to allow them to carry out their work while not preventing those who have committed offences being made accountable to the law.
A man arrested during last week's raid in Manchester in which a police officer was stabbed to death appeared in court yesterday charged with terrorist offences. Libyan Khalid Alwerfeli (29), who is charged with possession of articles and documents or records for terrorist purposes, was remanded in custody for a week.