Shafilea's body was found in the Lake District in February

The men and women were arrested in Bradford on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The body of the 17-year-old, who had rejected an arranged marriage, was found in the Lake District in February.

Detectives have not ruled out her parents being involved in her death, although they are not among the relatives arrested on Tuesday.

Shafilea's parents, Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed, were arrested in December 2003 on suspicion of kidnap before being released from police bail in June.

We can't ignore the fact that Shafilea may have been killed because she didn't conform Det Chief Insp Geraint Jones, Cheshire Police

The couple have denied any involvement in her death.

Detective Chief Inspector Geraint Jones, who is leading the Cheshire Police investigation into her death, said he had visited the couple to inform them of the arrests and was keeping them updated on developments.

But he said he had not ruled out the possibility that they were involved.

Shafilea went missing from her home in Liverpool Road, Great Sankey, on 11 September 2003, shortly after arriving home from a family holiday in Pakistan.

While there, she had drunk bleach in a possible attempt to avoid the marriage which had been arranged for her, resulting in her needing frequent medical attention for injuries to her throat and stomach.

Shafilea's parents have denied involvement in her death

Police believe it was this refusal of an arranged marriage which may have led to her being murdered to avenge her family's "honour".

Her body was pulled out of the River Kent, at Sedgewick, in Cumbria, in February and was identified by DNA tests and jewellery belonging to her which was found at the scene.

A post-mortem examination failed to provide conclusive evidence of how she died.

After her death, poems found in Shafilea's bedroom in which she wrote of her unhappiness and "feeling trapped" were released by police.

Mr Jones said of those arrested: "They are close family members, but not Shafilea's parents. They are very close relatives.

'Open inquiry'

"All they are being questioned about is the alleged lies that they have said. "

Mr Jones rejected suggestions that the police investigation was stereotyping the Asian community by focusing on her family.

He said: "The investigation has always been an open inquiry.

"We have conducted numerous inquiries and spoken to a lot of people, but we can't ignore the fact that Shafilea may have been killed because she didn't conform.

"That has always been and always will be part of the investigation."

Those arrested are a woman in her 20s, a man in his early 30s, two men in their late 30s and one man in his 60s.