Terror raids: Blair urges vigilance
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An area of Gloucester was evacuated during the search for explosives.
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged vigilance over possible terror threats after police arrested 14 people in three separate anti-terrorism investigations around the United Kingdom.
"In relation to terrorism, there is no doubt there is a threat because these people are operating in most parts of the world," The U.K. leader said in his monthly televised media briefing.
"They have no compunction about taking the lives of innocent people, killing as many people as they can," he said.
"On the other hand, people in Britain, because of experiences in the past, know that we should remain vigilant but calm in the face of terrorism and determined to defeat it."
Britain's Metropolitan Police said they searched six residences and three businesses in southwest London on Tuesday, arresting four men suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities.
They were arrested under a provision of Britain's 2000 anti-terrorist law on suspicion of involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of act of terrorism.
No details of the investigations were immediately released.
Under the 2000 Terrorism Act, police have the right to detain suspects for seven days without bringing charges.
Police gave the ages of the men as 28, 29, 29 and 32, but offered no further information except to say that the searches were ongoing and the suspects were taken to a central London police station.
In Cambridge, anti-terrorist police and local authorities arrested three men and two women in Tuesday raids that sought "articles related to terrorism." Another man was arrested later at a different location, authorities said.
Meanwhile, West Midlands police arrested four men under the Terrorism Act 2000 in the towns of Dudley and Walsall.
A police spokeswoman said the arrests were not connected to sweeps earlier in the day that nabbed four men in southwest London and six in Cambridge. She said she could not release any additional details.
