Two more arrested in airport bomb inquiry

Two more men have been arrested by police investigating the Glasgow Airport car bomb attack, Strathclyde Police said today.

The arrests of the men, aged 28 and 25, come after the airport was targeted by terrorists on Saturday.

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Police said the arrests of the men, who are not believed to be of Scottish origin, were as a result of "intensive police operations in the Paisley area last night".

Assistant Chief Constable John Malcolm, of Strathclyde Police said: " This continues to be a fast-moving investigation and I am grateful to the public for their perseverance and support during these difficult times. I would continue to urge people to be vigilant.

The men were understood to have been arrested last night in Paisley and are being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

It brings the total number of arrests connected with the failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow to seven.

Meanwhile, police carried out a controlled explosion on a vehicle in the car park of Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Strathclyde Police said the car was connected to the airport attack.

The attack in Glasgow is being linked with the two failed attacks in London on Friday.

Two men, involved in Saturday's attack, are being held by Strathclyde Police.

One of the men, who set fire to himself at the scene and was driving the Jeep which rammed into the airport terminal building, is in hospital in Paisley under armed guard.

He is in a critical condition with severe burns. The other, a 27-year-old, is being held at an undisclosed location.

Arrests were also made in Liverpool and on the M6 motorway in Cheshire. Two of those held are believed to be hospital doctors.

The UK remains on a "critical" state of terror alert - the highest possible - meaning an attack is believed to be imminent.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will have talks with senior ministers today in the wake of the Glasgow attack, but Downing Street said he was determined the normal business of government would go on.

Mr Brown will have talks at No 10 with Scotland Secretary Des Browne, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly and local MPs affected by the Glasgow incident, said the premier's spokesman.

The Cabinet's emergency Cobra committee will also meet later today, but only officials - not ministers - will attend.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith insisted today the fact that no-one was killed or injured by the failed car bombings in London and Glasgow was down to more than just luck.

Ms Smith praised the bravery of police and explosives officers, vigilant members of the public and the intelligence services in averting a disaster over the past few days.

Ms Smith said: "I don't think it is luck, I think it is members of the public keeping an eye out, I think it is incredibly brave police officers and explosives officers, I think it is intelligence that is looked at very carefully.

"All of these things not only have been very important this weekend but will continue to be important."

Police said yesterday that their investigations were developing rapidly. Seven people are being held in connection with the attacks.

Later on Saturday night anti-terror officers arrested a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman on the M6 near Sandbach in Cheshire.

The pair were taken for questioning to high-security Paddington Green police station.

Scotland Yard refused to comment on reports that all those arrested were from the Middle East.

Police carried out searches yesterday in Newcastle-under-Lyme, north Staffordshire, and the village of Houston, near Glasgow Airport.

And it emerged today that police had information about the Glasgow Airport car bomb plot suspects before the attack on Saturday.

Detectives tried to contact a letting agency, believed to have rented out a house to one of the suspects, 10 minutes before the attack at the terminal.

Daniel Gardiner, director of the Paisley-based Let-It agency, revealed that officers had traced his company after tracking phone records linked to the foiled London car bomb attacks.

Police spent yesterday searching a property rented out by Mr Gardiner's company in Houston.

It is thought the two men suspected of carrying out the attack on the airport had been living there.

And in Newcastle-under-Lyme, neighbours said they believed a detached house searched in Sunningdale Grove was rented by a doctor thought to be married with one young child.