Counter-terror police have arrested three men in Sheffield and Huddersfield following raids across Yorkshire.
Two men, aged 24 and 29, were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of terrorism offences. The raids were not linked to the investigation into the Manchester Arena bombing.
Residents living near the raided homes, including flats in the Kelham Island area of Sheffield and a house in the Crosland Moor area of Huddersfield, reported loud bangs and scores of armed police entering the properties.
A third man, aged 23, from Sheffield, was arrested on Friday morning on suspicion of assisting an offender.
A statement from the north east counter-terrorism unit said: “Both property searches have now concluded and we would like to thank the local communities for their patience and understanding.”
Police said: “There are no connections to the recent incident and investigation in Manchester. The operation is based on recently received intelligence. We understand that people may have concerns as a result of this activity and we are grateful for the patience and understanding of the public while these inquiries are carried out.”
The CTU moved to reassure the public, saying the loud noises were part of police operations to gain entry to addresses.
People living around a block of flats between Dun Street and Cornish Street, close to Sheffield’s Inner Ring Road, reported hearing a bang at about 5.30pm on Thursday. One man who lived in the block said he saw a second-floor flat’s door had been blown off.
Others said they saw armed plain-clothed officers in the triangular courtyard in the centre of the modern block.
The flats are fairly new, a short walk from the city centre, in an area that has changed in recent years from a site of derelict 19th-century industrial buildings to a series of residential flats redevelopments.
On Thursday night, cordons on the streets surrounding the property were lifted, although a number of police officers continued to guard the block, which is opposite the Shalesmoor tram stop, as searches continued.
Similar scenes were reported in Huddersfield, where a large number of armed police were deployed in the Ellison Street area of the town.
