New Malden: Police swooped on a house in New Malden and took away an Arab family, in a raid believed to be part of a nationwide round-up of terror suspects.

Police and Home Office officials are remaining tight-lipped over Wednesdays operation. But it coincided with numerous dawn raids across the country.

Residents of England Way, New Malden, watched as a people carrier, van, and four unmarked police cars entered the cul-de-sac in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The family of seven was driven away and the house was then searched by police wearing rubber gloves.

Anwar Malik, secretary of the Kingston Muslim Association, said he was approached by police last week looking for information on a particular family in the borough.

He said: "I knew there was something going on, but we were not sure exactly what.

"We wanted to help the police because this affects the community and gives it a bad name.

"If I find any others, I will personally tell the police.

"We do not like terrorism and want to make it clear that religion is not terrorism."

One England Way resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "They were very private people, I think he is Syrian.

"We were slightly suspicious as people would come and go at all times of the night."

The Home Office would neither confirm or deny the New Malden raid was part of the terrorist crackdown, but said: "We can confirm that an immigration operation is under way to detain foreign nationals suspected of involvement in terrorism who pose a threat to national security."

And a police source told the Surrey Comet the raid was an immigration matter.

One suspicious resident had earlier phoned the police and informed them of the familys whereabouts, on the off-chance the man was an Islamic fundamentalist.

Neighbours said that as they watched the woman of the household being carted off in traditional Islamic garb with her five children, their thoughts immediately turned to Afghanistan and world terrorism.

A resident said: "We thought they had gone away after the attacks because we hadnt seen the family for a while.

"But occasionally someone would come to the house."

Raids took place in London, Bedfordshire and the West Midlands, under new anti-terrorism laws given Royal Assent last week.

Eight men suspected of extremist views are being detained, some of whom are believed to be Algerian.

They can be locked up and held without trial for six months.

The human rights group Liberty is challenging the new laws because they allow people to be imprisoned not because a criminal act has been committed, but because of suspicion one might be carried out.

December 24, 2001 11:30