LONDON, Oct 25: British police have arrested an Arab national described as Osama bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe.

The man was arrested in an armed raid conducted by Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorism branch and MI5, the British intelligence service, from a house in a poor south London locality. He is reportedly being held in a prison in south-east London where strict security measures have been adopted by the security agencies, according to the British media reports.

The British Home Secretary, David Blunkett, confirmed the arrest that took place on Wednesday but refused to reveal his name or give any more details.

However, the British media have named the alleged terrorist as Abu Qatada who has been on the run since December, after disappearing hours before the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act came into force, giving the authorities the power to detain foreign nationals suspected of terrorism.

After his disappearance, British intelligence was accused of hiding him and using him as an informer. Abu Qatada is a Jordanian-born Palestinian who was granted asylum in Britain in 1994 after claiming he was fleeing persecution for his religious beliefs.

He appeared on the United Nations’ list of suspected terrorists that was issued after the Sept 11 attacks and had been accused of being Osama bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe.

A document was recently published on the Internet under Mr Qatada’s name, justifying the Sept 11 attacks on moral grounds.