<p><br /> A major national counter-terrorism operation has led to twelve men being arrested early on Monday morning.<br /> </p><p><br /> Five from Cardiff, four from Stoke-on-Trent and three from London were picked up by police.<br /> </p><p><br /> They're suspected of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism in the UK.<br /> </p><p><br /> The suspects are aged between 17 and 28 and were detained by unarmed officers at around 5am.<br /> </p><p><br /> Police say searches are now taking place at their home addresses and two other properties in Birmingham and London.<br /> </p><p><br /> The operation is being led by Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Osborne, the Senior National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, and is being co-ordinated from the West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit.<br /> </p><p><br /> It also involves the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, South Wales Police and Staffordshire police.<br /> </p><p><br /> The arrests come after intelligence agencies in Europe, Pakistan and the US intercepted a credible Islamic plot to launch raids on European cities, in a similar style to the attacks in Mumbai, India, two years ago.<br /> </p><p><br /> More than 170 people were killed during a 24-hour co-ordinated attack on Mumbai, also known as Bombay, by ten gunmen in November 2008. It has been blamed on Pakistani militants.<br /> </p><p><br /> Home Secretary Theresa May was fully briefed on the raids before they took place.<br /> </p>
