LONDON – British police have arrested five men, including four Iranian nationals, on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The arrests were made on Saturday across London, Swindon, and the Greater Manchester area.
According to a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police, the men, aged between 29 and 46, were detained by Counter Terrorism Police in connection with a “suspected plot to target a specific premises.” The location of the potential target was not disclosed. All five individuals remain in custody on suspicion of “terrorism offences.”
The nationality of one of the arrested men is still being determined by police.
Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism chief, described the investigation as “fast-moving.” He stated, “We are working closely with those at the affected site to keep them updated.” Murphy added that the investigation is in its early stages and police 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.”
In a separate operation on the same day, Counter Terrorism Police in London also arrested three other Iranian nationals, aged 39, 44, and 55. These arrests were made under the National Security Act, legislation designed to provide law enforcement with enhanced powers to disrupt “state threats,” including foreign interference and espionage.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper expressed her gratitude to the police for their actions. In a statement to the PA news agency, Cooper said, “These are serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats.” She affirmed that the government is “working with police and intelligence agencies to support all the action and security assessments that are needed to keep the country safe.”
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