Two held for terror offences at Heathrow Airport before they were due to board plane

TWO men have been arrested over terrorism offences at Heathrow Airport before they were due to board a plane.

The men, aged 30 and 66, were detained at the airport under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. 

The pair were scheduled to board a plane out of the UK from Heathrow.

They have been arrested under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism.

Both men are from Birmingham, according to West Midlands Police.

Cops added that an address in Birmingham will be searched as part of the investigation.

And the force confirmed they were transported to a police station in the West Midlands to be questioned.

It comes as the authorities experienced eight near misses with late-stage terror attacks last year.

A chief cop disclosed that there are currently 800 live investigations by Counter Terrorism forces.

And the level of threats from hostile states has quadrupled in just two years, taking it to an "unprecedented level".

Despite this, 2022 was the first year since 2016 in which no one was killed or seriously injured on UK soil due to a terror attack.