Men held over bombs 'worked at airport'

Three men arrested under anti-terrorism laws after two home-made bombs were found at a suburban flat may have been working at nearby Gatwick Airport, local residents said today.

A shopkeeper who owns a store on the same street in Langley Green, Crawley, West Sussex, said there were "problems" in the past at the flat, which was rented by a man called Jose Pestana.

Pinakin Patel, the owner of Kandies Sweets in Langley Parade, said: "We don't know for sure what they did but we think they worked at the airport.

"They often came back wearing airport-style clothes as if they were cleaners or something."

Mr Patel added: "The men from the flat often came into my shop to buy cigarettes. They looked Portuguese and spoke Portuguese.

"They were aged between 30 and 40 years. People were always coming and going from the flat.

"We have heard that there were problems at that flat and if you look at it, all the windows are smashed but we don't know exactly what went on there."

Police were meanwhile continuing to search the flat after the devices were found. Three men are being held under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Inspector Geoff Sharnock, of Sussex Police, said: "During a routine inquiry, two viable improvised explosive devices were found. They are effectively home-made bombs.

"Three men have been arrested. One was arrested elsewhere and two were arrested at the flat."

Mr Sharnock refused to say where the third man was arrested but added: "They are all European men. Bomb disposal experts have gone into the premises to make sure the devices were safe."

A spokesman for Sussex Police was unable to confirm the reports that the men were Portuguese.

"The search of the address is still continuing but it is too early to speculate the motives behind the incident or whether it is being linked to any specific target or organisation," he added.

Local people said police had cordoned off an area around the flat, which is situated above a parade of shops, most of which have also been shut.

The manager of a public house on the parade said police began arriving at the address from 4pm yesterday followed by officers from the "bomb squad" who attended the flat at about 6pm.

Amil Patel, 35, the owner of a mini supermarket in the Parade, said police told local residents at 3.30pm yesterday to leave the area immediately.

He said: "I was very surprised. It was scary. They just said we must leave immediately. We did not even have time to pick up any belongings. We have not been allowed back yet.

"I have lived here for years and it's always been a very nice place."