A NORTH-EAST MP has questioned a decision by police to arrest six men suspected of terrorism after claims they acted just two weeks after a tip-off.

The men, from Middlesbrough, Darlington and Seaton Carew were arrested following swoops by Cleveland and Durham police on their homes and businesses, under the codename Operation Icebolt.

They were released four days later after being held at a secret police location.

The police are said to have acted on a tip-off given only two weeks before the arrests, BBC radio reported.

At the time, the police said the arrests had followed a "lengthy" investigation.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, Redcar Labour MP Vera Baird said the case raised "a serious question" about the police's decision to act in a way that risked "huge damage to community relations".

She said the term lengthy "suggested to me they would have strong intelligence, which they would have checked, double-checked and triple-checked before they acted.

"However, in a very short time people were released, suggesting that information was poor."

A spokesman for Durham Police said that the MP was doing exactly what she had accused them of doing.

"She is a accusing the police of acting on very limited information when she is also acting on limited information."

The spokesman added that the investigation was still active and said: "We are not prepared to talk about it publicly in detail and we believe that any right-thinking member of the public would not expect us to, while investigations are continuing."

The spokesman also said that the police force was accountable and that they would disclose information on their actions as and when they could.

The men arrested were Ibrahim Rachid, of Northgate, Mousa Mohamad, of Stockton Road and Salah Famtazi, of Gladstone Street, all Darlington, Majid Mousa, of Acklam Road, and Omar Mohammed, of Coulby Newham, both Middlesbrough, and Walid Zamzam of Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool.

All the men, with the exception of Majid Mousa, are seeking legal action against the police forces for unlawful arrest and damage to property.