U.K. Kidnap Terror Arrests

British police officers cordon off access to a street in Birmingham, England after police arrested suspected terrorists Wednesday Jan. 31, 2007. British counterterrorism police carrying out pre-dawn raids in Birmingham arrested nine men accused of planning a kidnapping. The men were accused of committing, preparing or instigating terrorism, police said.

A local resident is guided by a policeman after a series of anti-terror raids throughout Birmingham, England, resulted in the arrest of nine men Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. Birmingham has been the site of several recent terrorism sweeps, including summer raids that unveiled an alleged plot by several British suspects to use liquid explosives to blow up as many as 10 trans-Atlantic flights.

A British police officer stands guard at a cordon closing a street in Birmingham, England, after police arrested suspected terrorist Wednesday Jan. 31, 2007. British counterterrorism police carrying out pre-dawn raids in Birmingham arrested ninet men accused of planning a kidnapping. The men were accused of committing, preparing or instigating terrorism, police said.

Police forensic officers arrive at a cordoned off grocery store in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007, following dawn raids when British police arrested nine men in an alleged kidnapping plot. The men planned to behead a British Muslim soldier and broadcast the act on the Internet, Sky News reported. Police would not comment on that report, but said the plot was the first of its kind uncovered in Britain.

Police search through waste meat products outside a shop in Birmingham, England, after a series of anti-terror raids across the city resulted in the arrest of nine men Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. It is alleged that a kidnapping plot to mirror that of terrorist kidnappings in Iraq was planned. Counterterrorism officials said the plot was the first of its kind to be uncovered in Britain.

Police officers guard a house in Birmingham, England, after a series of dawn anti-terror raids across the city resulted in the arrest of nine men Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. It is alleged that a kidnapping plot to mirror that of terrorist kidnappings in Iraq was planned.

British police officers stand outside a house in Birmingham, England where police arrested suspected terrorists Wednesday Jan. 31, 2007. British counterterrorism police carrying out pre-dawn raids in Birmingham arrested nine men accused of planning a kidnapping. According to broadcast reports, the suspects wanted to abduct a British Muslim soldier and behead him.

British police officers stand outside a house in Birmingham, England where police arrested suspected terrorists Wednesday Jan. 31, 2007. British counterterrorism police carrying out pre-dawn raids in the city of Birmingham arrested nine men accused of planning a kidnapping. The men were accused of committing, preparing or instigating terrorism, police said.

A local resident talks to a policeman in Birmingham, England, after a series of dawn anti-terror raids across the city resulted in the arrest of nine men Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. An alleged kidnapping plot mirroring terrorist kidnappings in Iraq was planned, police said.