British police announced on Sunday the arrest of five men, four of whom are Iranian nationals, on suspicion of “preparation of a terrorist act”.
The arrests took place across London, Swindon, and the Greater Manchester area, with all five apprehended on suspicion of “terrorism offences”, according to a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police.
The men, aged between 29 and 46, were detained by Counter Terrorism Police on Saturday in connection with “a suspected plot to target a specific premises” — which has not been disclosed — and they remain in custody. The nationality of one of the individuals is still being determined, police reported.
“This is a fast-moving investigation and we are working closely with those at the affected site to keep them updated,” stated Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism chief Dominic Murphy.
“The investigation is still in its early stages and we are exploring various lines of enquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter,” he added.
In a separate operation on Saturday, three other Iranian nationals were arrested in London by Counter Terrorism Police. These men, aged 39, 44, and 55, were apprehended under the National Security Act, which provides law enforcement with enhanced powers to address “state threats” including foreign interference and espionage, as outlined by the Met Police in their Sunday statement.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper expressed her gratitude to the police in a statement, saying, “These are serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats.”
Cooper noted, “The government continues to work with police and intelligence agencies to support all the action and security assessments that are needed to keep the country safe.”
AFP
