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Counter-terror police arrest five men at sites across England Counter-terror police arrest five men at sites across England
(about 2 hours later)
Suspects detained after raids in Manchester, Peterborough and north LondonSuspects detained after raids in Manchester, Peterborough and north London
Four men have been arrested in different parts of England over a suspected terrorist plot. The men, aged between 19 and 23, have been held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terror, while a fifth man, 19, was arrested on suspicion of encouraging terrorism. Five men have been arrested by counter-terrorism police over concerns about a potential Islamist attack plot.
The raids in Manchester, Peterborough and north London on Monday were part of a planned operation and were not linked to either the London Bridge terrorist attack last month or to upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations, said the Metropolitan police. The arrests followed a joint investigation by MI5 and police, who conducted raids on Monday morning at residential addresses linked to the men in London, Manchester and Peterborough.
In a statement, the Met said: “Officers from the Met’s counter-terrorism command along with colleagues from the counter-terrorism policing north-west unit and the eastern region special operations unit CTP have arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism offences. The police side of the investigation is being led by Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command, with officers conducting searches of addresses in all three cities.
“The men were arrested on the morning of Monday 30 December at addresses in north London, Manchester and the Peterborough areas. All five men remain in police custody at this time.” The men, aged 19 to 23, are understood to have been being monitored by investigators before being detained.
Those arrested for plotting a terrorist attack included a 21-year-old in Manchester, a 19-year-old in Peterborough, and two men, aged 22 and 23, in north London. The teenager suspected of encouraging terrorism was arrested in Peterborough. Police said one man, 19, was arrested in Peterborough on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. A 21-year-old man in Manchester and two men in north London, aged 22 and 23, were also arrested for the same alleged offence.
Officers continue to search addresses in each area. Another man, 19, was arrested in Peterborough on suspicion of encouraging terrorism.
The Met said there was not believed to be an imminent threat to the public. A number of separate operations targeting suspected jihadist plots in Britain have failed to lead to charges being laid, amid claims of flawed intelligence.
The green light for the authorities to make the arrests on Monday came after a meeting of a committee of senior police and MI5 officials called an executive liaison group.
The decision to disrupt a suspected plot can be taken if counter-terrorism officials believe it too dangerous to allow suspects to remain free in the community, or if officials believe they have enough viable evidence proceed through the justice system.
Police said there was no link between the arrests on Monday and November’s attack at London Bridge, nor to festivities planned across the country on Tuesday evening to mark the start of the new year.
“Searches are currently being carried out a number of addresses in Manchester, Peterborough and north London and the investigation is being led by detectives from the Met’s counter-terrorism command with support from counter-terrorism policing north-west and eastern region special operations unit colleagues,” the police said in a statement.
“The arrests were part of a pre-planned operation and there is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public in relation to this.
“The arrests are not linked to the attack at Fishmongers’ Hall in London on 29 November, nor the forthcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations.”
All five men remain in custody. Police have up to two weeks to charge or release those four arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.
In November the UK’s terrorism threat level was reduced from severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, to substantial, meaning an attack is likely.
The decision to reduce the terrorism threat level was made by Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) on 4 November, before the London Bridge attack in which Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were murdered by Usman Khan.
The majority of terrorist threats to the UK come from Islamists, but the far right has been described as the fastest growing threat. Authorities have disrupted 24 terror plots since March 2017, 16 inspired by radical Islamist ideology and eight by far-right ideology.
Counter-terrorism officials say the unrelentingly high tempo of terrorism activity prompted by the rise of Islamic State (Isis) decreased over 2019. However, police and MI5 believe that they foiled a dangerous terror plot in October. Officials have assessed that the threat of a mass casualty attack in the UK remains – especially amid reports of Isis regrouping following the loss of its territory in Iraq and Syria.