A MAN caught up in a major anti-terrorism investigation today claimed he had been targeted because of where he had bought a new car tyre.

Police have spent two days searching the Blackburn home of businessman Ayub Patel, 34, as part of a national operation.

But today he claimed his family had been forced to endure the harrowing ordeal because he had visited a tyre centre at the centre of the inquiry three times in one day.

Suspects Junaid Feroze, of Malham Gardens, and Zamir Hussain, of Shakeshaft Street, were arrested by armed officers in Cherry Tree on Tuesday.

Junaid's brother is the owner of Lower Audley Tyre Centre, which is one

of five local premises searched by police.

They are among 12 Asian men being questioned by the Metropolitan Police. Outraged relatives and friends have protested their innocence.

Officers were yesterday granted a further 72 hours to question the suspects at a London police station.

Mr Patel, who has not been arrested, denies that anybody associated with the tyre business has ever visited his home on Greenhead Avenue, Little Harwood.

And he believes police connected him with the inquiry and searched his house after he visited the tyre centre three times on a Sunday.

His solicitor Peter Turner, from Forbes solicitors, said: "The police have told me that the warrant was issued because one of the men arrested earlier this week as a suspected terrorist had had access to the property."

Mr Patel, his wife and four young children were "evicted" when the police began the search at 11.45pm on Tuesday.

He said the family were woken and told to leave immediately. He said: "Nobody from the garage has ever been to my house

"I did not even know the name of the man I had dealt with at the centre - he was certainly not a friend of mine."

"My business is really close to Bennington Street, where Lower Audley Tyre Centre is.

"When I was going to go to Walsall one Sunday, a couple of weeks ago, I went to the garage to get a tyre changed on my BMW. They didn't have time to fit it so I went to another garage instead.

"They said they didn't have the right size so I went back to the tyre centre to buy the tyre that could then be fitted."

A police guard is outside the house but it is thought the search will be finished within the next day.