Suspected London Terrorists Linked to Pakistan

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• MARGARET WARNER:

  Now, the terror plot in Britain, new information from the authorities and words of caution from the community most directly affected. We start with a report from Simon Israel of Independent Television News.

• SIMON ISRAEL, ITV News Correspondent:

  Today marked the start of stage two in this unprecedented investigation, the gathering and analysis of evidence from dozens of addresses like this one in Forest Road in East London.

  Police will not reveal details. Questions on whether devices or suicide videos have been recovered are met with no comment. But many of those arrested live in this area, and more details have emerged today of the 24 now in custody, with the Bank of England publishing a list naming 19 of the suspects, whose assets have now been frozen.

• They include:

  Oliver Savant, a 25-year-old convert who changed his name to Ibrahim. His family live in Walthamstow, and his wife is six months pregnant. Then there's 22-year-old Waheed Zaman from the same area, who runs the Islamic Society at London's Metropolitan University, where he studies biochemistry.

  After Friday prayers at his local mosque, which was besieged today, there was an appeal not to judge him or others too quickly.

• IMAM MOHAMMED NURGAT, Masjid-e-Umer Mosque:

  We urge all to be mindful of the fact that, despite what is being said in the media, those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this very difficult time.

• SIMON ISRAEL:

  What also emerged today is the role of Pakistani intelligence. It was their arrests, they say, which triggered the raids in the U.K., and one of the seven in custody is a key British national named Rashid Rauf.

• TASNIM ASLAM, Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Pakistan:

  In fact, Pakistan played a very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network. There were some arrests in Pakistan, as well, which were coordinated with arrests in the United Kingdom.

• SIMON ISRAEL:

  The man the Pakistanis described as an al-Qaida operative with links to Afghanistan is thought to belong to the family who live here in Birmingham, where part of their home has been turned into a school. In fact, 22-year-old Tayib Rauf, another son, is one of the 24 under arrest here.

  While there are reports that the group were divided into three cells, as yet there is no evidence to suggest that's the case. But just what details will emerge of how the conspiracy was to have been divided up remains to be seen.

• MARGARET WARNER:

  Now, the connections between second-generation Pakistani immigrants in Britain, the nation of Pakistan, and allegations of terrorism. Ray Suarez explores all that.