Four men arrested over Syria terror fears

Four men have been arrested by counter-terrorism officers investigating the kidnapping of a British photographer in Syria.

The police operation follows the arrests of two men last year who are accused of being part of an extremist group which held John Cantlie, a photographer, and his Dutch colleague Jeroen Oerlemans for around a week in Syria.

Scotland Yard said today that a 33-year-old Portuguese national was arrested on Wednesday afternoon as he prepared to board a plane at Gatwick airport.

Three Britons, aged 18, 31 and 22, were arrested at separate addresses in east London early yesterday as part of the investigation into travel to Syria in support of alleged terrorist activity.

They were arrested on suspicion of the “commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”. Three homes in east London were being searched yesterday.

The two men arrested last year have already appeared in court over the alleged plot. Shajul Islam, 26, a trainee NHS doctor, was arrested at Heathrow airport in October.

The following month, Jubayer Chowdhury, 24, was arrested at Heathrow after arriving on a flight from Bahrain. They both face trials later this year.