It raises the prospect that the operation in Birmingham was a result of further details gleaned from evidence seized in Abrini’s arrest or from his questioning.

West Midlands Police were already investigating possible connections to the Paris cell after reports last year that one of them may have visited the city.

It was first reported to have been Paris mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud but it is now believed the connection was Abrini.

The focus on Abrini’s movements intensified after the Brussels attacks and it was feared the network may have also been plotting attacks on British soil.

The cell had "discussed launching attacks in Britain" as well as at the Euro 2016 football tournament in France, which begins in June.

Investigators managed to extract new information from a laptop discarded in a bin by Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the Brussels airport bombers.

The computer files showed the bomber discussed attacks in "other European countries" besides Belgium, starting with France. "Great Britain is also mentioned as a potential target," a European intelligence source said.

It was also reported that investigators obtained a taped conversation between Najim Laachraoui, the suspected bomb maker for the Paris and Brussels attacks, and a "foreign contact" in which Britain is also mentioned.