May 05, (THEWILL) – British counterterrorism officers have arrested some Iranian men in a raid over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target.
Metropolitan Police said they took five men into custody, four of whom are of Iranian descent, in connection with what they called “an alleged terror plot in the U.K.”
The men, whose ages range between 29 and 46, were arrested in various areas around the U.K., including Swindon, London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester, under the Terrorism Act “on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act”, the Met police said.
Police said the attack plot targeted a single location that was not being named “for operational reasons.” It said the premises was being given “advice and support.”
In another operation, three other Iranian men, aged 39, 44 and 55, were arrested in London on suspicion of a national security offense as part of an unrelated investigation, police said.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said, “These were two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counterterrorism operations that we have seen in recent years.”
Britain’s domestic intelligence service has warned of a growing threat from attackers linked to Tehran. Cooper said, “The ongoing investigation is immensely important and reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security that we continue to face.”
All the suspects were being questioned at police stations and have not been charged. Police said they are searching several properties in London, the Manchester area of northwest England and Swindon in western England.
The Head of the force’s Counter Terrorism Command, Commander Dominic Murphy, said police are still working to establish a motive “as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public.”
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