UK Police carry out biggest anti-terror operation

London, Jun 3 (UNI) In one of the biggest anti-terror operations here this year, the UK police raided a east London house, which was believed to be a bomb-making factory, and arrested two brothers under the Terrorism Act.

During the operation yesterday, in which 250 officers participated, a 23-year-old British-born Muslim, Abdul Kahar, was shot in the shoulder and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was put under armed guard.

He was later arrested on terrorism charges along with his brother Abdul Koyar, 20. The shooting was immediately referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Forensic experts will examine the house, looking for evidence of chemicals that could be used in a poison gas attack. Suggestions that it was being used as a bomb-making factory have been discounted, and there was no early sign last night of incriminating material being discovered.

The decision to raid the house was taken after an MI5 surveillance operation, lasting several months. The security sources said it was aimed at thwarting a terrorist attack in Britain, but was not related to the bombings on July 7 last year.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch said, ''Because of the very specific nature of the intelligence, we planned an operation that was designed to mitigate any threat to the public either from firearms or from hazardous substances.'' Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, left a meeting of the British-Irish Council in London, returning to Downing Street to be briefed by John Reid, the Home Secretary.

Kahar, whose injuries were not life-threatening, was treated at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel and was said to be recovering. Koyar is being questioned at the high-security Paddington Green police station.

Shortly after Kahar's admission, a small group of Asian men gathered outside the hospital to protest at what they claimed was excessive force.

''He was not armed. He's not a terrorist. He is an innocent man and he didn't deserve to get shot,'' said one man.

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