The Easter terror plot (you know, the one Gordon Brown said was "a very big terrorist plot") has disappeared like the mountain of foil-wrapped chocolate eggs that briefly passed through our clutches a couple of weeks ago.
The Times has now reported that, much to the embarrassment of the police, nine of the 12 Pakistani nationals who were detained as part of 'Operation Pathway' (in armed, daylight raids on April 8) have now been released without charge. An 18-year-old student had previously been transferred to the custody of the UK Border Agency after only three days in custody.
According to The Times: "[The men] had been detained for 13 out of a possible 28 days but were released because there was no concrete evidence connecting them to terrorist activity." Although, two men are still being questioned under anti-terrorism legislation.
[**UPDATE** According to the AP all 12 men have now been released.]
In spite of the apparent imminence of the attack no bomb-making paraphernalia was ever found, and forensic examination of the suspect's computers also failed to turn up anything incriminating. However, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said that searches were still continuing at one property in the Cheetham Hill area of the city. (I sort of get the impression that the police are trying to find anything - simply anything - that will go some way to support their assertion that a large scale terror plot was in the offing.)
The Home Office is seeking to have the men deported "on grounds of national security", which lawyers for some of the men say they will challenge.
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