Five men have been arrested as part of a pre-planned counter-terrorism operation led by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.
The arrests, made on Saturday, 3 May, were linked to an alleged plot to target a specific premises.
The men arrested include:
- [A] A 29-year-old man in the Swindon area
- [B] A 46-year-old man in west London
- [C] A 29-year-old man in the Stockport area
- [D] A 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area
- [E] A man (age unconfirmed) in the Manchester area
All five were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Four of the men – A through D – are Iranian nationals and were detained under terrorism legislation. The fifth man, whose nationality is still being established, was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
All suspects remain in custody while searches continue at multiple addresses across Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon in connection with the investigation.
The operation relates to a suspected plot involving a specific site. Police have contacted those affected to offer support, but further details are being withheld for operational reasons.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This is a fast-moving investigation and we are working closely with those at the affected site to keep them updated.”
He added: “We 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.”
Murphy acknowledged public concern and urged vigilance: “If you see or hear anything that concerns you, contact us. We’re working closely with local officers and I’d like to thank police colleagues around the country for their support.”
The operation is being supported by officers from Greater Manchester Police, Wiltshire Police, and Counter Terrorism Policing teams nationwide.
BBC is saying eight. I’m assuming this has escalated since this was written. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that these men are not Christian.
5 in this operation, and another 3 in London in an unrelated event.
“Unrelated.”…..yeah right
Well it could be a different plot. If there are separate plots, sensibly you would try to coordinate arrests so as not to spook one or other and thus they go underground. So may, or may not be directly related.
Neither is most of the country, according to the Graudian. Starmers response to the Reform elections victories is that ‘he gets it’ . But does he? Lucy Powell has been forced to apologise for her ‘dog whistle’ comment in the context of Asian grooming gangs. The labour party is in denial. Reform is appealing to a large section of the country, possibly a democratic majority, who perceive – correctly- that English culture is under threat from groups who wield disproportionate political influence and who wish it harm – the enemy within. It’s not a co-oncidence that the C of E is rudderless, that NHS maternity servjces are borderline 3rd world. that BBC have a warped culture. that Shakespeare is out of fashion in schools. Labour is about to get its cummupance unless it recognises England, a land whose core cultursl identity and values are Plantagenet and incidentally, Catholic.
Richard II
Of the world’s ransom, blessèd Mary’s son.
This land of such dear souls, this dear, dear land,
Dear for her reputation through the world,
Is now leased out – I die pronouncing it –
Like to a tenement or pelting farm.
England, bound in with the triumphant sea,
Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege
Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,
With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds.
That England that was wont to conquer others
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.
They’ll be gone after one term. They are only in power because the Tory vote was split.
And the Tories are no better either.
England was formed more than a thousand years ago when it unified under the Wessex kings to defend itself against invasion. There’s a reason the army had vehicles named Saxon, Mercian, Anglian, Wessex regiments. iMO the way the army ( and the navy which also datss from Alfred’s time) has been allowed to run down is a direct reflection of the spiritual erosion of English identity.
😂
Hi Paul, don’t forget we as Anglo Saxons, came to “Britain” in and around the late 4th/5th CE as mercenary troops to help both the later Roman Army, and after 411ish to help the remaining Romanised Britain’s defend themselves against various raids from the Irish and Scotti. Its a great but oft forgotten subject, as we pushed the Britons into the West, aka Wales and Cornwall. Anyway I could go on for ages, but you are correct, once we had took the land, it became Anglo Saxon (hence all the counties such as Wessex (West Saxons) Middlesex (Middle Saxons) Essex (East Saxons) Sussex (South Saxons) etc and don’t forget Norfolk (North folk) and Suffolk (South folk).
Remember the short secondary weapon the Saxons used, which they were called after, the Seax, hence the 3 seaxs on the Essex County flag. Bloody hell sorry Paul I’m on my soap box, what I’m saying we also were immigrants, as are most peoples, but we as Anglo Saxons, etc got here early in reasonable but small numbers, with the aim of progression and settlement, made the most of the country, fought and died, and have a rich heritage which many ignore or don’t know. The kingdom of Wessex survived the great Viking armies and raids, and under Alfred’s children, by battle and politics, created the nation of England as we know it. I’m proud of our heritage and history as I am sure you are, and we should celebrate what we have accomplished. PS The term “Welsh” is a modern version of the Anglo Saxon slang for “foreigner” which they called the Brittonic people who lived here under the Roman rules, and later Romanised Britons.
Scotti, were from Ireland, and the Pictish and northern tribes from north, my post should read mate.
Does anyone think Reform will do a better job. Easy to appear appealing when it’s merely all talk with no substance, led by a charlatan who is associated with a leader across the pond who is destroying any semblance of what that Country supposedly sees itself as standing for in its blow of exceptionism (a dual edged sword in itself). I can see an advantage to Reform working as a kick up the ass of our incumbent politicians (yes they need it) but the thought of them in power (newly advised by Liz Truss and other rebadged old politicians ironically) is truly scary to me because the only way, as in the US (which after all is working to impoverish the rest of us to feed its needy billionaires) to make this Country great again is to make sure no one else has any power to disagree with the autocrat’s message. The Daily Mail rules just like RT for Putin.
Quick one though mate, we have had the two party corruption arrogance for over 100 years, could one small period of 4/5 years be any more risky than what we have had, and most likely what we will end up with in the future. I think we all know the definition of stupid, doing the same thing every time hoping for a different result! That is what we have all been doing since we are 18, voting, as we have limited other options, and no real chance for change. I’m up for giving them a go, and of they end up as shite as the other parties, then lets hope, as you have said, the other parties take it as a learning curve and stop treating us voters like the pleb cattle they think we are. Cheers.
I think after decades of rubbish leadership from both Labour and the Conservatives people want and will vote for an alternative. I think there is a good chance Reform will get in next time. The old parties are too set in their way to change and adapt so they will go the way of the dinosaurs… I can only hope they bring in PR voting and not this stupid undemocratic first past the post thing. Labour got in with only 20% of the popular vote – how is that credible… how does that give you a mandate….
Labour got in with 34% of the popular vote, which with a 60% turn out was 20% of the potential vote.
For comparison Reform ‘won’ Runcorn with just under 18% of the potential vote (38.7% of votes cast on a turn out of 46.2%).
I also favor PR but with a five way race (six in Scotland) the results of the next election will be what our American former allies call a crap shoot.
😂
Interesting footage. Shows what looks like SF involved, similar to other incidents over the years.
Yes I noticed that. Looked like SAS soldiers involved during these arrests.
Clearly a very serious plot has been exposed. If it’s stemming from Iran then some diplomatic expulsions are going to come next, a dressing down of Iran’s ambassador and a clear warning. Any state sponsored terrorist action will result in deadly force.
Prince of Wales should be parked nearby as a clear signal of intent. One false move and we will hit you hard. It will make what Israeli air force did in one night look like a Sunday school picnic.
British ships have been attacked by Houthis and Iran regime suffers nothing because West is unable to understand the religious imperial Iranian regime…
“Any state sponsored terrorist action will result in deadly force.”
Really? Do tell me what deadly force was used against Russia after its bungling assassins spread Polonium around Mayfair and Novichok around Salisbury.
Whilst I agree with your sentiment regards SaIlsbury ,I’m not sure we could have done after the fact so to speak.We could hardly go to.war against Russia on our own could we? . I’d be interested to.understand the rationale as to why Article 5 wasn’t considered. Maybe the ‘attack didnt meet the criteria ,maybe because the culprits werent proven ? Who knows. Either way we have at least supported Ukraine so I hope we’ve provided some response to Russia via that. Finally I would suggest that it was an intelligence failing , I’m sure if we’d have known what the 2 Russian agents were planning that we would have used appropriate force in arresting them and neutralising the threat. Surely its that threat of force the statement is alluding to.
I think it is pretty open knowledge that the Squadron that is assigned to the CRW ( if it still exists by that name ) has elements at EHR that are forward located at certain locations to help the Police CTU and CTIUs as well as the Security Service as and when required. Police CTSFO’s may not be enough for all threats, thus SF presence.
On Iran and the PoW, I don’t think the UK would act unilaterally like that in response to such attacks, we tend to take more softly softly, behind the scenes actions rather that kicking doors down. That is the province of the US and Israel.
And the only 2 cases of spying in modern times from inside the British Army, was from soldiers with Iranian heritage.
This country needs to wake up and realise it has many enemies inside and out.
Yes, it doesn’t take much to see Reform are the UKs equivalent of Germany’s AfD.
No.I think he meant subversive forei … Ah I see what you did there…nearly got me.
I’d be interested to know if you truly believe the only threat is from Reform (well specifically from those of a more right wing persuasion that provide some-but not all – of their voters). Or do you also accept the premise (however slight) that there are also subversive elements amongst other demographics in the UK that seek to destroy our way of life that we should also be concerned about. (Iranian nationals for example in this instance).
Not quite, but like the German AfD, if the main parties treat its peoples like irrelevant plebs, then right wing parties support will increase, and the people to blame are the current crop of politicians who caused the effect. But I see the AfD, as a clear and present political threat to the German Government, have now been classed only one down from a terrorist group. Hey, nice bit of democracy there eh, I’m sure our dear leader Kier will be planning the same sort of nonsense for Reform.
As always, the man of common sense and reason amongst the anything but Reform/Farage echo chamber here.
Spot on. I’ll be voting for them, as will millions of others.
Hi mate, thanks, I have already given them my vote in the local elections, a good opportunity for them to prove themselves able and capable of running a local authorities, and to show people they are different from the arrogant selfish main stream lizards who couldn’t give a toss about the people of the UK. It certainly was an eye opener, but not an unexpected, set of local election results. And if the so called boundary changes did not happen where 5 million people had their democratic right to vote removed (dear Leader Kier could have delayed that until after the vote, but he took advice from Kim Jong Un and David Lammy) the Reform gains would have taken them to at least 14 local authorities if you notice which areas were getting the “changes”.
There were no local elections where we are but I’ve given them my vote before to get the Tories out.
Yep, they need to be given a chance to show they can run council’s properly. But they’re debunked before even starting.
Border changes are an old, old trick by the establishment.
They are making good progress. The fact the mud slinging is increasing reflects that, and watch for the smear stories planted and spun in the media.
Standard.
We’ve been here before, over 4 million votes before gave a handful of MPs, which was more votes than the SNP and Lib Dems combined.
FPTP neatly feathers the big twos nests.
Last year it was published that there were 20 Iranian state sponsored terror threats against the UK stopped, 7 out of 8 of the arrested suspects in these 2 cases are Iranian..their is evidence that the Russian state is now recruiting and paying saboteurs on line to attack any random infrastructure they can in Europe, china has around 2-3 million political warfare operatives who job it is on a daily basis to undermine western power and security….
The west has it seems lost it’s ability to fight in the political warfare domain after the Cold War, and it’s getting attack constantly because of that.. Iran is a nation rip for political warfare attack and subversion… we need to be doing to back at a massive level until that government either stops its attack on the west’s interests or is overthrow.
Couldn’t agree more, Jonathan.
Deterrence is about showing off and being openly and demonstrably prepared for war but it is increasingly about the preparedness of nations to wage active grey-zone warfare. It is a very dangerous game and could easily spill into open conflict up if left unchecked our enemies will be emboldened which would be even worse. We are rapidly being pushed into a corner and our government as, for years, been ignoring the risks even as the House of Lords and the Commons Select Committee warn that more must be done. I sense the dead clammy hand of the Treasury play Russian Roulette with our futures.
Deterrence is failing because we have failed to respond the increasing threat and hence undermined the credibility of our preparedness for war fighting. Our enemies no longer respect our strength. They see the west as weak and getting weaker thanks to the uncertainies around US commitment and Europe’s ability and willingness to rearm. Germany, France and Britain should be setting the example they are failing or are late to the party. The Baltic States, the Scandinavian Countries and Poland are setting the good examples. It is not enough and we need to step up.
Cheers CR
Exactly what I alluded to above. No kicking down doors with the PoW, we are more subtle!
Indeed the reality is most Iranians don’t like the Iranian government but they do love their country you throw bombs at their country they will back their Government and hate your guts…you support them in subverting and overthrowing their own government and installing one of their choice and they will thank you for it.
This is yet more envidence of the combined threat of presented by the CRINK nations as they coordinate their efforts to undermine the western democracies.
China allegedly as ‘police’ units operating in many countries without consent including in the UK with reports suggesting that they are operating with in local Chinese communities. This was reported widely a couple of years ago when it emerged that there were 3 such ‘stations in the UK, although China has supposedly closed them down…
Russia is operating a shadow fleet of merchant ships which have been implicated in attacks on western underwater infrastructure and then, of course, there was the attack in Salisbury.
Now we have Iran being caught in a very public manner apparently planning attacks in the UK.
Finally, Chinese mercenaries and North Korean regulars have been fighting Ukraine.
When will our government up to the threat and actually do something?
We are living in a pre-war era but you would think we had all the time in the world. We haven’t. As a traditional and experienced maritime power we need to massively increase the size of the Royal Navy as an urgent priority, with the Royal Air Force next priority, and if that means putting the defence industry on an official war footing then so be it. Parliament seems to be getting it or at least the Lords, but successive governments kick the can down the road and one day that can is going to bounce of the front of a metaphorical Russian or Chinese tank going the other way..!
The CRINK Axis is real, developing fast and getting much more aggressive.
CR
At the same times the western Alliance is falling apart..mainly by the actions of a group of men that actually like authoritarian government. It’s not just Crink is strengthening and attacking the west it’s that the west is now destroying itself.. every nationalist movement in the west is essentially a tool for Crink political warfare.
Finally the rest of the world can see it and more and more is pulling behind Crink and more and more are Harding their neutrality or even moving to wards Crink. Africa is a great example.
We used to be able to wield a good mix of soft and hard power, but we have let the latter atrophy and robbed the former to correct the latter. If we are not careful we will end up with too little ability to influence world affairs.
As for the popularist / nationalist movement in western politics they scare me almost as much as Putin et a al. I can understand why people vote for them and we have seen the two main parties in this country decline to the lowest common point on the political spectrum with no real answer for the county’s problems. It seems to me they are completely incapable of solving the problems in front of them, rather they try to bash the problem into a shape that fits their preferred dogma and then wonder why they fail to successfully change anything for the better! The popularists will fair no better but will simply undermine our democracies to add to the west malaise and decline!
Throw a good dose of short termism and, well to quote that great philosopher Private Fraser, “We’re doomed, we’re doomed I tell yer!”
Cheers CR