Roger Michael Figaro, who uses the name Muhammed Al-Figari, and Kibly DaCosta, are both from Caribbean backgrounds and live in South London. The fifth is Gilbert Teye Baiden, 24, the youngest of this group, who also comes from a Caribbean family now in London.

Yesterday, his shocked family protested: "Our son is no terrorist." They were speaking from a friend's house as their own home in Brixton was being search by police.

His mother Beatrice, 53, said former video store worker Gilbert, one of five brothers, converted from Christianity to Islam two years ago before marrying his Muslim wife, Shawnette. They have a two-year old daughter.

Beatrice said: "Gilbert was a strong Christian like the rest of the family until he got married. Now he wears Muslim clothes and goes to the mosque, but I accept his new religion, which he keeps to himself."

Beatrice, a gospel choir singer, said she learned her son had been arrested when police phoned her.

She said: "On Friday my sons were coming round for a family dinner. At about 9pm Gilbert said he was going to meet some friends and he left.

"He didn't come home and I was worried. Then Paddington green station phoned and said, 'We've got Gilbert and he wants to talk to you'. He told me he was arrested at the Chinese restaurant but gave no details."