All 12 suspects in terrorism raids released without charge in UK

London, Apr 22: All 12 persons -- one Briton and 11 Pakistanis -- arrested for alleged links to a terror plot in the UK, have been released without any charges, with the foreigners facing deportation on national security grounds.

Police today said prosecutors had advised there was insufficient evidence to justify holding the men any longer or bringing charges.

"As there are ongoing issues of matters of national security around this investigation, it does limit what we are able to say," said Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy, adding the inquiry had been "extremely complex." The men, who were in Britain on student visas, were handed over by the police to the custody of immigration authorities for deportation, after a fortnight long detention.

Of the 12 persons originally arrested, one man was released to the UK Border Agency three days after arrest.

While nine of them were set free last night, two others joined them in the custody of immigration authorities today.

Police had been questioning them over an alleged al-Qaeda linked plot ever since they were arrested in raids across north-west England on April 8.

"We had a duty to act to protect the public and a subsequent duty to investigate what lay before us. We don't take these decisions lightly and only carry out this kind of action if it is wholly justified," Fahy said.