UK Kidnap and Beheading Plot

(Birmingham, England) After a six-month surveillance operation led by the Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, police have arrested eight people for allegedly planning an Iraq-style kidnapping and beheading in the UK.

Terrorists planned to post a video on the Internet of the hostage being tortured and killed. The target was an unnamed man believed to be a soldier in his twenties. He has been placed in police protection.

From Sky News:

Officers swooped on a number of addresses in the Sparkhill and Alum Rock areas of east Birmingham at 4am.

West Midlands police said the eight were held "on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000."

Their statement added: "A number of addresses in Birmingham have been secured and sealed off and are currently being searched.

"Whilst this operation poses no specific threat to the West Midlands, as a precautionary measure we will have an enhanced police presence at these locations."

The West Midlands Police and the Metropolitan Police conducted the operation.