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| Eight men arrested in two separate anti-terror operations, Met police says | Eight men arrested in two separate anti-terror operations, Met police says |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Video shows counter-terrorism officers making an arrest | Video shows counter-terrorism officers making an arrest |
| Eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, have been arrested in two separate counter-terrorism police investigations. | Eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, have been arrested in two separate counter-terrorism police investigations. |
| Five were arrested at various locations around England on Saturday as part of a "pre-planned" investigation into an alleged plot to "target a specific premises", the Metropolitan Police said. | Five were arrested at various locations around England on Saturday as part of a "pre-planned" investigation into an alleged plot to "target a specific premises", the Metropolitan Police said. |
| Four of those - two aged 29, one aged 40 and another aged 46 - are Iranian nationals. Police said the nationality and age of the fifth were still being established. | Four of those - two aged 29, one aged 40 and another aged 46 - are Iranian nationals. Police said the nationality and age of the fifth were still being established. |
| Three other men, all Iranian, were arrested in London on Saturday under national security legislation as part of a separate investigation led by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command (CTC). Police said the two operations were not connected. | Three other men, all Iranian, were arrested in London on Saturday under national security legislation as part of a separate investigation led by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command (CTC). Police said the two operations were not connected. |
| Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "These are major operations that have taken place and the ongoing investigation is immensely important." | Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "These are major operations that have taken place and the ongoing investigation is immensely important." |
| The Met Police's CTC has responsibility for leading counter terrorism-related investigations and as well as investigations into espionage and state threats. | The Met Police's CTC has responsibility for leading counter terrorism-related investigations and as well as investigations into espionage and state threats. |
| In the operation in which five men were arrested, four were detained under the Terrorism Act. The fifth man was arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Pace) Act. | In the operation in which five men were arrested, four were detained under the Terrorism Act. The fifth man was arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Pace) Act. |
| All five were arrested on suspicion of preparation of an act of terrorism. | All five were arrested on suspicion of preparation of an act of terrorism. |
| The men were arrested in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester, and remain in police custody. | The men were arrested in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester, and remain in police custody. |
| It is understood that military personnel assisted in the Rochdale raid. | It is understood that military personnel assisted in the Rochdale raid. |
| Video shows terror suspect being dragged in Swindon | Video shows terror suspect being dragged in Swindon |
| Police said the investigation related to a suspected plot to target a "specific premises", which it did not name. | Police said the investigation related to a suspected plot to target a "specific premises", which it did not name. |
| The "affected site" has been made aware and is being supported by police, the Met added. | The "affected site" has been made aware and is being supported by police, the Met added. |
| Cdr Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's CTC, said he was unable to discuss specifics of the alleged plot to target the site. | Cdr Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's CTC, said he was unable to discuss specifics of the alleged plot to target the site. |
| This investigation is being led by the Met's CTC, supported by officers from Greater Manchester Police and Wiltshire Police, as well as counter-terrorism officers from across the country. | This investigation is being led by the Met's CTC, supported by officers from Greater Manchester Police and Wiltshire Police, as well as counter-terrorism officers from across the country. |
| Cdr Murphy said: "The investigation is still in its early stages and 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 linked to this matter." | Cdr Murphy said: "The investigation is still in its early stages and 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 linked to this matter." |
| In the separate operation, the Met said three men - aged 39, 44 and 55 - were arrested under the National Security Act at three separate addresses in north-west London and west London, and had been taken into custody while searches continued. | In the separate operation, the Met said three men - aged 39, 44 and 55 - were arrested under the National Security Act at three separate addresses in north-west London and west London, and had been taken into custody while searches continued. |
| The National Security Act covers offences deemed a threat to national security, which can include spying, sabotage and acting on behalf of a foreign power. | |
| Cdr Murphy stressed that they were not treating the two investigations into "separate incidents" as linked. | Cdr Murphy stressed that they were not treating the two investigations into "separate incidents" as linked. |
| He said the operations were "certainly significant and it is unusual for us to conduct this scale of activity". | He said the operations were "certainly significant and it is unusual for us to conduct this scale of activity". |
| Investigators would "continue to work tirelessly", Cdr Murphy said, adding that there were "several hundred officers and staff working on this". | Investigators would "continue to work tirelessly", Cdr Murphy said, adding that there were "several hundred officers and staff working on this". |
| Cooper said the number and nature of the arrests "reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security that we continue to face". | Cooper said the number and nature of the arrests "reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security that we continue to face". |
| She thanked police and security services "for the action they have taken to keep our country safe". | She thanked police and security services "for the action they have taken to keep our country safe". |