ONE terror suspect made cakes, which he delivered in a white van. Another worked in Hamleys, packing toys for children.

Two were wheeler-dealing brothers from the East End of London, who grew up selling sweets and crisps bought from cash-and-carries, and graduated into selling cars and lorries in Chingford.

Among the others arrested in the past 48 hours there was a book-keeper and an expectant father, a secretary for a trendy East London music company, a computer salesman, two company directors and a security guard who worked at Heathrow.

The lives of the two brothers, Umir and Nabeel Hussain, 24 and 21, transformed after their father returned from a trip to Pakistan several years ago.

Before then they had filled their Chingford street with lorries and cars that they bought cheap and tried to sell. As teenagers they would also buy sweets and crisps to sell on.

Their house was never empty, with neighbours describing how lots of people would come and go from the semi- detached property.

On Wednesday night they were arrested with their brother Mehran. Last night their father, Fazal Hussain, a former bus driver for London Transport, told ITV News that he refused to believe any of the claims against his sons.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said: “They went to prayer and they were Muslims, that is the only thing they were guilty of.”

He broke down, unable to speak. The interpreter, a close family friend, spoke for him, saying: “They showed no signs of being radicalised. Anyone who knows them would swear on the Koran that they are innocent.

“They are totally innocent. Fazal cannot understand what has been going on.

“He does not understand how such decent and lawabiding citizens, who would not even think of injuring or swearing at anybody, let alone carry out such activities . . . he totally refuses them. He cannot understand why.”

The family, his wife Raniza, who speaks little English, and another sister, were well liked and used to send Christmas cards to their neighbours.

But their life changed after Fazal returned from his three-month trip abroad.

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