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British Police Arrest Woman Suspected of Planning Terrorism British Police Arrest Woman Suspected of Planning Terrorism
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — As Western concerns mount over the number of young Muslims seeking to join jihadist forces in the Middle East, the British police said Wednesday that a 25-year-old woman had been arrested in Bedfordshire, north of London, on suspicion of preparing “terrorist acts” related to the war in Syria. LONDON — As Western concerns mount over the number of young Muslims seeking to join jihadist forces in the Middle East, the British police said Wednesday that a 25-year-old woman had been arrested in Bedfordshire, north of London, on suspicion of preparing “terrorist acts” related to the fighting in Syria.
The nature of the accusations was not specified, but the police operation was the latest in a string of raids intended to thwart attacks in Britain or to restrain young people drawn to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL, which is waging a bloody campaign to create a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The nature of the accusations was not specified, but the police operation was the latest in a string of raids intended to thwart attacks in Britain or to restrain young people drawn to the militant group Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which is waging a bloody campaign to create a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
The police said they were searching two properties in Bedfordshire and had taken the woman to a police station in central London. She was not identified.The police said they were searching two properties in Bedfordshire and had taken the woman to a police station in central London. She was not identified.
By apparent coincidence, the arrest came days after American law enforcement authorities intercepted three teenage girls from Denver at Frankfurt Airport as they tried to travel to Syria over the weekend. News reports said two of the girls, sisters of Somali descent, and a third, a friend of Sudanese descent, had been reported missing by their families on Friday. The arrest came days after American law enforcement authorities intercepted three teenage girls from the Denver suburbs at the international airport in Frankfurt as they tried to travel to Syria. News reports said two of the girls, sisters of Somali descent, and a third, a friend of Sudanese descent, had been reported missing by their families on Friday.
The families did not know why the teenagers had left, according to the Arapahoe County sheriff’s office in Colorado, and they have been reunited. It was not clear whether they would face criminal charges.The families did not know why the teenagers had left, according to the Arapahoe County sheriff’s office in Colorado, and they have been reunited. It was not clear whether they would face criminal charges.
Britain is part of an American-led coalition conducting airstrikes against Islamist State forces, but it has restricted its campaign to striking targets in Iraq and to helping train and supply Kurdish forces in the north. The United States is also attacking the militants in Syria, most significantly in recent days to contain jihadist forces seeking to overrun the town of Kobani on the Turkish-Syrian border. Britain is part of an American-led coalition conducting airstrikes against Islamist State forces, but it has restricted its campaign to striking targets in Iraq and to helping train and supply Kurdish forces in the north. The United States is also attacking the militants in Syria, most significantly in recent days to contain jihadist forces seeking to overrun the town of Kobani on the Turkey-Syria border.
The British authorities are fighting a parallel battle at home, where at least 500 young Muslims have reportedly traveled to Syria to join jihadist forces. Last week, Mark Rowley, an assistant police commissioner who is Britain’s most senior counterterrorism officer, said the police had disrupted several plots inspired by the Islamic State to kill people on the street.The British authorities are fighting a parallel battle at home, where at least 500 young Muslims have reportedly traveled to Syria to join jihadist forces. Last week, Mark Rowley, an assistant police commissioner who is Britain’s most senior counterterrorism officer, said the police had disrupted several plots inspired by the Islamic State to kill people on the street.
“The volume, range and pace of counterterrorism activity has undergone a step-change,” Mr. Rowley said in a statement, with more than 200 terrorism-related arrests this year and “exceptionally high numbers of counterterrorism investigations the likes of which we have not seen for several years.”“The volume, range and pace of counterterrorism activity has undergone a step-change,” Mr. Rowley said in a statement, with more than 200 terrorism-related arrests this year and “exceptionally high numbers of counterterrorism investigations the likes of which we have not seen for several years.”
“These plots are of varied sophistication, from individuals planning to carry out spontaneous yet deadly attacks, to more complex conspiracies,” he said. “Almost all seemingly are either directed by or inspired by terrorism overseas.”“These plots are of varied sophistication, from individuals planning to carry out spontaneous yet deadly attacks, to more complex conspiracies,” he said. “Almost all seemingly are either directed by or inspired by terrorism overseas.”
Last week, five men appeared at a London court accused of plotting to attack police officers and soldiers on the street. The drumbeat of alarm has been depicted in British news reports as reminiscent of the days after July 7, 2005, when four suicide bombers killed 52 people in the London transit system.Last week, five men appeared at a London court accused of plotting to attack police officers and soldiers on the street. The drumbeat of alarm has been depicted in British news reports as reminiscent of the days after July 7, 2005, when four suicide bombers killed 52 people in the London transit system.