Five men arrested across England over ‘terror plot’

Four suspects arrested in joint operation accused of preparing an act of terrorism

Five men have been arrested by counterterror police across England over an alleged plot.

The suspects were detained in coordinated raids in London, Peterborough and Manchester on Monday morning.

Four were arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism, while the fifth man is accused of encouraging terrorism.

“All five men remain in police custody at this time,” a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said.

“Searches are currently being carried out a number of addresses in Manchester, Peterborough and north London.”

The investigation is being led by Scotland Yard’s counterterrorism command, with support from Counter Terrorism Policing North West and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.

A Metropolitan Police statement said: “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. Enquiries continue.”

The suspects are two men aged 22 and 23 who were arrested in north London, a 21-year-old man detained in Manchester and a 19-year-old man arrested in Peterborough who are all accused of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

Another 19-year-old man was also arrested in Peterborough on suspicion of encouraging terrorism.

The operation came a month after an Islamist extremist stabbed two people to death in a terror attack at Fishmongers’ Hall in London.

Usman Khan, who was previously jailed over a bomb plot, was chased onto London Bridge by bystanders including former prison inmates and shot dead by police.

A total of 259 terror arrests were made across the UK in the year to September, but only 88 resulted in a charge.

White people made up the largest group of suspects (41 per cent) followed by Asian people (37 per cent) and black people (9 per cent), the Home Office said.

The majority of suspects were British, with other nationalities including Algerian, Pakistani, Iraqi, Iranian and Somalian.

Security services have foiled 24 terror plots – 16 Islamist and eight right wing – since the Westminster attack in March 2017.