Dart case shows 'how terrorists live in our midst'

These are dangerous men. Mahmood had received terrorist training in Pakistan and suggested he had knowledge of how to make home made explosives while Dart and Alom made great efforts to travel to Pakistan and aspired to seek training from terrorist groups there.

They all were clearly aware of anti-surveillance techniques as shown by the use of silent conversations and expressed a desire to carry out terrorist attacks.

This was a complex investigation carried out jointly by the Counter Terrorism Command and the Security Service but mixture of dedicated, diligent traditional detective work combined with the latest technology and computer techniques brought these men to justice and made the public safer.

This case serves as a classic example of how terrorists live in our midst while preparing their acts and their determination to travel overseas to train before returning to the UK.

It also illustrates the balance we need to achieve between maintaining public safety while gathering sufficient evidence to secure a conviction while maintaining the confidence of all our communities.