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Eight men including seven Iranians arrested in two England anti-terrorism operations Eight men including seven Iranians arrested in two England anti-terrorism operations
(about 4 hours later)
Residents tell of their fear as raids carried out in London, Swindon and Greater Manchester amid rising concern about Iran-backed plots Counter-terrorism police disrupt separate suspected plots amid concern over rise in Tehran-backed hostile activity
An alleged terrorism plot was foiled by police after four Iranian men were arrested in armed raids amid growing concern about Tehran-backed plots in the UK. Counter-terrorism police have arrested eight men, seven of whom are Iranian nationals, as they disrupted two separate plots in England amid concern about the growing level of Tehran-backed hostile activity in the UK.
Eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, were detained in two separate counter-terrorism operations across England on Saturday. Five suspects, including four Iranians, were arrested as part of an alleged imminent terror plot to target a “specific premises”, the Metropolitan police said. Of those arrested, the nationality of the fifth was still being established.
Five of the suspects were arrested as part of an alleged plot to target a “specific premises”, the Metropolitan police said. Of those, four were Iranian and the nationality of the fifth was still being established. In the second plot, three Iranian nationals were detained in London on suspicion of being involved in threat activity on behalf of Iran, though police said the two sets of high-profile arrests were not linked.
The force did not reveal the site but said it had been identified with the advice and support from counter-terror officers. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, described the arrests as “two major operations” that reflected some of the biggest threats “we have seen in recent years” – and while she did not comment directly on whether the plots were linked to the Iranian state, she noted “it involves Iranian nationals in both investigations”.
Footage verified by the Guardian shows armed officers wearing military fatigues storming a terraced property in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The first plot appeared to be the most serious. Investigators from counter-terrorism police and the domestic security service, MI5, feared any planned attack might have taken place soon. Scotland Yard did not reveal the alleged target but it was understood to be in the UK.
Marksmen carrying semi-automatic rifles and wearing helmets and body armour can be seen in the footage removing a partially clothed man from the building in handcuffs before ordering him to the ground. Three of those arrested were held in the Manchester area, with another arrested in west London and a fifth in Swindon. Hundreds of officers across the country were involved in the operation.
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the arrests were sparked by “serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats”. Police on Sunday said they were still not sure any risk had been wholly contained, with detectives investigating whether the plot had overseas involvement.
The nature of the alleged terror plot is not known but comes after security services warned about the growing threat from Iran-backed criminals.
Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, said in October that Tehran was behind “plot after plot” in the UK and that it had uncovered five new planned attacks last year, taking the total since January 2022 to 20.
Scotland Yard said the five men, including four Iranians, were being questioned under section 5 of the Terrorism Act on suspicion of planning an attack.Scotland Yard said the five men, including four Iranians, were being questioned under section 5 of the Terrorism Act on suspicion of planning an attack.
Three of those arrested were held in the Manchester area, with another arrested in west London and a fifth in Swindon. Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan police’s counter-terrorism command, said: “The investigation is still in its early stages and we are exploring various lines of inquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter.”
Commander Dominic Murphy, the 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. Murphy urged the public to “remain vigilant” and alert the police if they saw anything suspicious.
“The investigation is still in its early stages, and we are exploring various lines of inquiry 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 second plot, two Iranian nationals were arrested in north-west London and a third in west London on Saturday. They were arrested and detained under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023, which criminalises anybody involved in “foreign power threat activity”, in this case from Iran.
Murphy urged the public to “remain vigilant” and alert the police if they see anything suspicious. The nature of either plot was not publicly known but security services have warned about the growing threat from Iran-backed criminals.
One of the Iranian men was arrested by armed officers near a busy children’s play area in an affluent suburb of Stockport, leaving residents shaken. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, said in October that Tehran was behind “plot after plot” in the UK and that it had uncovered five new planned attacks last year, taking the total since January 2022 to 20. Officers were giving their fullest attention to any increase in “Iranian state aggression in the UK”, he added.
Footage verified by the Guardian showed armed military personnel storming a terraced property alongside specialist firearms officers in Rochdale, Greater Manchester as they arrested a 40-year-old man accused of being involved in the first plot.
Marksmen carrying semi-automatic rifles and wearing helmets and body armour could be seen in the footage removing a partly clothed man from the building in handcuffs before ordering him to the ground.
Another man, also an Iranian, was arrested by armed officers investigating the first plot near a busy children’s play area in an affluent suburb of Stockport, leaving residents shaken.
“It’s terrifying,” said Sarah Cash, 49, who was told by police she could not collect her son from the play area in Cheadle Heath where the arrest unfolded on Saturday evening.“It’s terrifying,” said Sarah Cash, 49, who was told by police she could not collect her son from the play area in Cheadle Heath where the arrest unfolded on Saturday evening.
Cash said she was concerned about the alleged target of the attack – which police have not disclosed for operational reasons – and whether there was any ongoing risk: “Where is that premises? There’s so many big things around here – there’s Manchester airport, the Co-op Arena.”Cash said she was concerned about the alleged target of the attack – which police have not disclosed for operational reasons – and whether there was any ongoing risk: “Where is that premises? There’s so many big things around here – there’s Manchester airport, the Co-op Arena.”
Images from the scene show a number of masked officers along the tree-lined street where the suspect was detained outside a £12,000-a-year preparatory school. Images from the scene showed a number of masked officers along the tree-lined street where the suspect was detained outside a £12,000-a-year preparatory school.
In Rochdale, neighbours of the 40-year-old Iranian man who was arrested said they were “really terrified” as heavily armed officers swooped on the quiet terraced street where children were playing shortly before 6pm on Saturday. In Rochdale, neighbours of the 40-year-old Iranian man who was arrested said they were “really terrified” as heavily armed officers swooped on the quiet terraced street shortly before 6pm on Saturday.
Amy Openshaw, 36, said her five-year-old daughter was playing in their garden with her six and nine-year-old nieces when they ran inside saying “masked men” had told them to get in the house.Amy Openshaw, 36, said her five-year-old daughter was playing in their garden with her six and nine-year-old nieces when they ran inside saying “masked men” had told them to get in the house.
She said: “As a mum you think, what do you mean masked men in my garden? We heard a big bang. It sounded like a bomb had gone off – it was well loud. It ricocheted through the house.”She said: “As a mum you think, what do you mean masked men in my garden? We heard a big bang. It sounded like a bomb had gone off – it was well loud. It ricocheted through the house.”
Openshaw, a painter and decorator, said the girls laid on the floor because they were scared: “There was lots of noises going on but then they brought him out and were saying, ‘Get on your knees, get on your knees’ and there was police dogs there.”
She said her brain had “gone into overdrive” since the dramatic arrest as she was left wondering what was going on inside the end-terrace property, which overlooks a playing field.
Another neighbour, who lives three doors down, said she did not know the Iranian man but believed he lived in the house with three or four others.Another neighbour, who lives three doors down, said she did not know the Iranian man but believed he lived in the house with three or four others.
“It was really terrifying,” she said. “It’s a house that homes vulnerable people. You just see them coming and going all the time.”“It was really terrifying,” she said. “It’s a house that homes vulnerable people. You just see them coming and going all the time.”
Of the moment police raided the property, she added: “I heard the bang but I felt the bang at the same time. I ran upstairs. I just saw a flood of people run past my window. There were people with guns pointing towards the end house.”Of the moment police raided the property, she added: “I heard the bang but I felt the bang at the same time. I ran upstairs. I just saw a flood of people run past my window. There were people with guns pointing towards the end house.”
She said the suspect appeared to be bleeding from his side.
There remained a heavy police presence on East Street on Rochdale, where blue-suited forensics officers could be seen removing evidence from the property.
Three other Iranian men were detained in a separate counter-terrorism operation in London on Saturday.
The Metropolitan police said two of the men, aged 39 and 44, were arrested at separate addresses in north-west London and one man, aged 55, was arrested at an address in west London.
It added: “This investigation is not connected to the arrest of five people yesterday as part of a separate Met counter-terrorism operation. Enquiries remain ongoing.”