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Man arrested under Terrorism Act over suspicious device on London tube Tube device arrest: police investigate suspect's mental health and possible terrorism links
(about 5 hours later)
A 19-year-old man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act after a suspicious device was found on a London tube train. The investigation into a homemade device found on a London tube train is examining whether a 19-year-old suspect had links to violent Islamist ideology and was known to mental health services.
The suspect was seized in the street on Friday in an armed operation in Holloway Road, north London. The man was tasered during a daylight arrest by armed police on a busy north London street on Friday lunchtime, 24 hours after the device was discovered by train staff at a south London tube station.
The Metropolitan police said a Taser was discharged during the arrest but shots were not fired. The Guardian understands the item is believed to have been a homemade device, possibly constructed with the intention of exploding. It was unsophisticated and the suspect has been detained under terrorism legislation covering the “commission, preparation and instigation” of a violent act.
In a statement, the Met said: “The 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism acts, under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He has been taken to a London police station where he remains in custody.” At this stage it is not believed by police to have been a hoax, and the leaving of the device on a train is being treated as a deliberate act.
Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the suspect device. Since the alert, just after 11am on Thursday, experts had been examining whether the improvised device could have exploded and investigators had been hunting for a suspect.
The police swoop came after a controlled detonation was carried out on the device, which was discovered just after 11am on Thursday by a member of the train staff. The station was then closed, and a controlled explosion was carried out by counter-terrorism investigators. Counter-terrorism investigators believe whoever was behind the incident at North Greenwich station was acting alone, a so-called “lone wolf”, if they establish it was terrorism.
They have not yet, and an initial check of mental health records linked to the sole suspect has led to further inquiries into material held by the health service. The part of the investigation covering the health history of the suspect is complicating the part of the inquiry trying to establish the motive.
The arrest at 12.20pm on the busy Holloway Road allowed counter-terrorism investigators to seize digital material linked to the suspect. They were looking for more, items such as phones or computers, as they searched his home in south London. The key focus of the examination will be any motive, which may be revealed by any violent Islamist material held on or visited via the internet on electronic devices.
The male had been kept under observation before being detained.
After the alert at North Greenwich station, detectives seized and examined CCTV for signs of any suspect.
The police swoop came after a controlled detonation was carried out on the device, which was discovered by a member of train staff. The station was evacuated, with passengers rushed out being told to leave “immediately”. After the controlled explosion, Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command was called in to lead the investigation.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Thanks to the outstanding professionalism of the Metropolitan police, Transport for London staff and the British Transport police, this situation was dealt with swiftly and safely, and no injuries resulted.The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Thanks to the outstanding professionalism of the Metropolitan police, Transport for London staff and the British Transport police, this situation was dealt with swiftly and safely, and no injuries resulted.
“I have been in constant contact with the Metropolitan police commissioner and the TfL commissioner throughout the past two days.“I have been in constant contact with the Metropolitan police commissioner and the TfL commissioner throughout the past two days.
“Keeping Londoners safe is my highest priority. I am urging all Londoners to check with TfL before they travel and to remain calm and vigilant at all times.”“Keeping Londoners safe is my highest priority. I am urging all Londoners to check with TfL before they travel and to remain calm and vigilant at all times.”
Neither police nor TfL have confirmed the details of the suspect item. However, a Tube source said: “Staff follow a training procedure known as ‘Hot’ is the object hidden, obvious, typical? There’s a lot of lost property every week and it’s quite rare for something to be regarded as this suspicious, and obviously for the police to close down the line for this length of time.” The incident led to extra police patrols across the capital’s transport network, described as a “reassurance” measure.
There had been earlier reports that a member of train staff had found a “bag of wires”, but police have dismissed this. The arrest in broad daylight is unusual in a counter-terrorism investigation.In a statement, the Met police said: “The man was arrested by officers from the Met’s counter-terrorism command, assisted by armed colleagues, in the street in Holloway Road, N7, at 12.20hrs. Officers discharged a Taser during the arrest. No firearms were discharged.
Police chiefs ordered extra officers to patrol potential transport targets across London after the suspicious item was found on a Jubilee line train. They said it was a “reassurance” measure, with more officers seen patrolling the capital’s underground network and at key overground stations. “The 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism acts, under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He has been taken to a London police station where he remains in custody.”
The extra patrols were expected to continue as investigators tried to establish the motive. The UK is on a heightened state of terrorist alert stoked by fears that an attack by Islamist extremists is highly likely.
Unions sought assurances over the safety of the tube following the controlled explosion. The TSSA general secretary, Manuel Cortes, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to all our tube workers who were at the forefront of [the] evacuation of the Jubilee line tube and station at Greenwich North. There is growing awareness among police of people with mental health problems being radicalised.
“However, in light of very serious concerns raised about security by our members following the alarming events, we are urgently pressing for an emergency and immediate security summit with London Underground, British Transport police, Scotland Yard and city hall.
“Our members are telling us that they are scared and that the company is giving them scant reassurance. The network should be shut until we are given assurances that it’s made as safe as possible for them and for passengers.“
Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: “We understand the concern on the part of some of our staff, and kept everyone informed during the incident. We have been working closely with the police and continue to take all appropriate measures to keep customers and staff safe.
“Our teams are trained and very experienced in managing the security of our operations and responded professionally to this incident.”
Police said they were keeping an open mind but that “the Met’s counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation because it has the expertise to deal with incidents of this kind”.
A statement said: “Shortly after 11am on Thursday 20 October, the British Transport police was called to North Greenwich underground station after train staff reported finding a suspicious item on a train travelling eastbound on the Jubilee line.
“Specialist officers from the Met and BTP are in attendance and a controlled detonation has since taken place to ensure the item is safe.”