Luton terrorism arrests: 2 men detained at Bedfordshire station for 'supporting banned group'

Two men have been arrested in Luton on suspicion of supporting a banned organisation.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command have today (16 December) arrested them in the Bedfordshire town under the Terrorism Act.

The men - aged 37 and 61 - have been taken to a Bedfordshire police station where they remain in custody.

The arrests have been made under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Pace) and are in relation to suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation.

There are 63 international terrorist organisations proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000 and 14 organisations in Northern Ireland that were proscribed under previous legislation.

Outlawed groups include al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis).

Penalties for proscription offences include a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or a fine and the maximum penalty for wearing suspicious clothing or carrying or display articles associated with a banned group is six months in prison and/or a fine not exceeding £5,000.