09 August 2004	Monday	22 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LONDON, Aug 8: British police got more time to question nine men arrested in anti-terror raids earlier this week after a court granted a custody extension on Sunday, a police spokeswoman said.

The men, aged between 19 and 32, were being held at a central London police station following their dramatic arrests in coordinated daylight raids across the country on Tuesday.

"The extension is until Tuesday for all nine suspects," the spokeswoman said. A previous extension, granted on Thursday, had expired. Police said they were no longer questioning two of the suspects seized on Tuesday over terror-related activities but were still holding them on suspicion of possessing forged identity papers.

Two other men detained in the raids were released without charge earlier in the week. At the time of the arrests, the police would only say the men were suspected of "being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism".

Britain has arrested more than 600 people under terrorism laws since the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. But fewer than 100 have been charged and only 15 convicted.

Information from an Al Qaeda operative detained in Pakistan led to the arrests in Britain. A US intelligence official said one of those held was Abu Musa al-Hindi, also known as Abu Eissa al-Hindi, and said he was a key al Qaeda operative in Britain.

British officials has yet to identify any of the suspects, charge them, or confirm whether Hindi is among them. Britain, which has dealt with Irish bombing campaigns for decades, has a policy of announcing security alerts only when authorities have specific advice to give the public which could make them safer.

Home Secretary David Blunkett, responsible for Britain's anti-terrorism policy, has defended the approach which contrasts with greater openness in the United States. Blunkett argues he prefers to avoid unnecessary alarm. -Reuters