Animal extremism suspects quizzed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6615113.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Seventeen people arrested for alleged animal rights extremism after raids in the UK and Europe are being questioned.

About 700 police officers and support staff were involved in the operation at addresses in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands, leading to 32 arrests.

Some 14 others have been released on police bail and one man was released without charge after Tuesday's raids.

Police said the raids were one of the largest operations against animal rights extremists in the UK.

<a class="bodl" href="#raids">Map of animal rights raids in the UK</a>

Eight people were arrested in raids at seven addresses in Hampshire.

There were 21 other addresses raided in Berkshire, Kent, Lancashire, London, Merseyside, Northumbria, Oxford, Surrey, Sussex, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Glasgow and Aberdare, south Wales from 0530 BST.

Two unnamed locations in the Netherlands and one in Belgium were also raided but no arrests were made.

Police said the "substantial operation" targeted burglary, conspiracy to blackmail, and offences against animal research operations.

The extremists' targets included Huntingdon Life Sciences in Cambridgeshire, officers said.

Mr Leppard said the operation focused on the south-east of England, because that was where extremist activity was concentrated.

Action was being taken to minimise any disruption caused by the raids, he added.