You want Muslims against terrorism, you got it. In spades.

The soldiers – who are not thought to have told their families that they were potential targets – were placed under unprecedented surveillance for weeks as officers waited for the terrorists to strike.

And as they tried to carry out their ordinary duties, the pair were aware that if the gang attempted to stage their abduction they could be attacked and bundled into a waiting vehicle at any time…

Their actions drew strong praise from senior security sources who said the soldiers showed “serious nerve” in the way they cooperated…

One insider added: “It was a brave thing to do. Effectively they agreed to act as bait – like tethered goats – without any way of knowing how real the danger was. They had to trust the police.”

There has already been speculation that the men’s bravery being recognised with a medal or other award, although Army chiefs are anxious to keep their identities under wraps.

Jihadist websites have had a rage-on for these guys for years. This cell almost pulled it off: the most ominous bit of evidence allegedly discovered thus far is a list of the addresses of 25 Muslim soldiers, all of them accurate despite their being scattered throughout the UK. Where would one get a list like that? The British government is investigating the possibility of … a mole inside the Ministry of Defense.

According to the same article, two plotters might still be at large.