UK: Bomb disposal team called in after police arrest five on terror charges in Birmingham

A British Army bomb disposal team was called in to a site in Birmingham where five men were arrested on terror charges on Friday.

The five men were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, West Midlands Police said. "The arrests were intelligence-led and part of an ongoing investigation," a police spokesperson said.

"Police are searching a number of properties in the Stoke and Birmingham areas as part of the investigation; these searches are on-going, he added. Police say that, as a result of one of the arrests, an Army bomb disposal team has been called in as "a precautionary measure".

West Midlands fire service tweeted: "Fire crews have been supporting police colleagues with an ongoing operation in the Lee Bank area of Birmingham."

Fire crews have been supporting police colleagues with an ongoing operation in the Lea Bank area of #Birmingham. https://t.co/kpohZppKFx

— West Midlands Fire (@WestMidsFire) August 26, 2016

Police raided three homes in Birmingham and made two linked arrests in Stoke-on-Trent. Two men, aged 18 and 24, were arrested at their homes in Birmingham and a 28-year-old man was detained in a different area of the city. Another two men, aged 32 and 37, were arrested in Stoke.