Three men have been charged with terror offences following a series of raids across Greater Manchester, police have confirmed.

Walid Saadaoui, 36, and Amar Hussein, 50, face charges of preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to section 5(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2006. Additionally, Bilel Saadaoui, 35, has been charged with failure to disclose information about an act of terrorism.

The arrests occurred last Wednesday during a major police operation led by elite anti-terror units, with strikes carried out at four locations in Wigan and Bolton.

All three suspects have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court tomorrow.

The raids, part of a coordinated effort across Greater Manchester, saw at least one suspect apprehended by armed police at The Warehouse Gym in Hindley near Wigan, as confirmed by video footage. The suspect was detained inside the gym by masked officers while armed police and dogs waited outside. He was later marched out of the gym in police custody.

Following the arrests, police cordoned off areas across Wigan and Bolton where raids were conducted, with the cordons remaining in place for several days. However, Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that all cordons have now been lifted and expressed gratitude to the affected communities for their patience and cooperation.

The operation was described as a ‘preventative’ measure by newly re-elected Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who commended the police force for taking action to apprehend individuals.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, responsible for counter-terrorism policing in the northwest, emphasized that while arrests of this nature may cause concerns, there is currently no indication of a wider threat associated with the suspects.

As the investigation progresses, authorities have assured the public that further details will be released where appropriate.