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| London slavery case: Suspects 'former Maoist activists' | London slavery case: Suspects 'former Maoist activists' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A married couple suspected of holding three women as slaves for more than 30 years are former Maoist activists Aravindan Balakrishnan and his wife Chanda, the BBC understands. | A married couple suspected of holding three women as slaves for more than 30 years are former Maoist activists Aravindan Balakrishnan and his wife Chanda, the BBC understands. |
| According to national Marxist records they were leading figures at the Mao Zedong Memorial Centre in Acre Lane, Brixton, south London, in the 1970s. | According to national Marxist records they were leading figures at the Mao Zedong Memorial Centre in Acre Lane, Brixton, south London, in the 1970s. |
| It was raided by police and five people, including the pair, were held. | It was raided by police and five people, including the pair, were held. |
| Mr Balakrishnan, 73, and his 67-year-old wife were arrested on Thursday. | Mr Balakrishnan, 73, and his 67-year-old wife were arrested on Thursday. |
| Three women were rescued from their home in Brixton a month earlier. | Three women were rescued from their home in Brixton a month earlier. |
| The couple have been linked to 13 addresses across London, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed. The force would not confirm or deny their names. | The couple have been linked to 13 addresses across London, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed. The force would not confirm or deny their names. |
| Police carried out house-to-house inquiries in and around Peckford Place, Brixton - where the women were rescued - over the weekend. | Police carried out house-to-house inquiries in and around Peckford Place, Brixton - where the women were rescued - over the weekend. |
| Officers said the women had suffered years of "physical and mental abuse". | Officers said the women had suffered years of "physical and mental abuse". |
| They lived together as a "collective" after two of the women met the man through a "shared political ideology". | They lived together as a "collective" after two of the women met the man through a "shared political ideology". |
| Home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said several sources had suggested a fifth woman - who was elderly and used a wheelchair - had stayed at the house in Brixton, though it was unclear whether she was a permanent resident. | |
| The Metropolitan Police would neither confirm nor deny the presence of another woman at the property during last week's arrest. | |
| 'Psychological cage' | 'Psychological cage' |
| Records of the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist) show Mr Balakrishnan was suspended from the organisation in 1974. | |
| He set up a splinter group in the same year called The Workers' Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought. | |
| It was based at Acre Lane, Brixton. The building was used as a bookshop and political commune. | |
| Local shopkeeper Cliff McKinson said he visited the building on three occasions in the 1970s. | Local shopkeeper Cliff McKinson said he visited the building on three occasions in the 1970s. |
| "They were just sort of gathering inside and outside; I was fascinated, I went there three times," he said. | "They were just sort of gathering inside and outside; I was fascinated, I went there three times," he said. |
| "There were women who come and go freely, especially in the evenings. I was at work when the police came and raided it." | "There were women who come and go freely, especially in the evenings. I was at work when the police came and raided it." |
| Professor Dennis Tourish, from the Royal Holloway University of London, said followers of Marxism often committed their lives to their beliefs. | Professor Dennis Tourish, from the Royal Holloway University of London, said followers of Marxism often committed their lives to their beliefs. |
| "They develop a number of organisational rituals of which communal living is one," he said. | "They develop a number of organisational rituals of which communal living is one," he said. |
| "The people they are working with and recruiting commit all their resources, including their time and money, and in a sense their souls to supporting the aims and objectives of the group." | "The people they are working with and recruiting commit all their resources, including their time and money, and in a sense their souls to supporting the aims and objectives of the group." |
| Criminal psychologist Dr David Holmes said the details appeared to suggest a "kind of political cult" or "enforced commune" was in effect holding the captives "almost in a psychological cage". | |
| Previous arrests | Previous arrests |
| The three alleged victims, a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 69-year-old Malaysian, are in the care of a non-governmental organisation following their rescue last month. | The three alleged victims, a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 69-year-old Malaysian, are in the care of a non-governmental organisation following their rescue last month. |
| Police said the 30-year-old woman, who is believed to have lived her entire life in servitude, had a birth certificate but no other official papers. | Police said the 30-year-old woman, who is believed to have lived her entire life in servitude, had a birth certificate but no other official papers. |
| She is said to have written more than 200 impassioned letters and poems to her neighbour over an eight-year period, the Daily Mail reported. | She is said to have written more than 200 impassioned letters and poems to her neighbour over an eight-year period, the Daily Mail reported. |
| In one of the letters, she said she felt like a "fly trapped in a spider's web" and described her "unspeakable torment". | In one of the letters, she said she felt like a "fly trapped in a spider's web" and described her "unspeakable torment". |
| The case came to light after the Irish woman rang Freedom Charity to say she had been held against her will. | The case came to light after the Irish woman rang Freedom Charity to say she had been held against her will. |
| The couple were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of being involved in forced labour and slavery. They have also been arrested for immigration offences. | The couple were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of being involved in forced labour and slavery. They have also been arrested for immigration offences. |
| They have been released on bail until January. | They have been released on bail until January. |
| 'Complex case' | 'Complex case' |
| Police said they were of Indian and Tanzanian origin and came to the UK in the 1960s. | Police said they were of Indian and Tanzanian origin and came to the UK in the 1960s. |
| Thirty-seven officers from the Met's human trafficking unit are working on the case. | Thirty-seven officers from the Met's human trafficking unit are working on the case. |
| Lambeth Council said it had been working closely with the police in the weeks before the women's rescue. | Lambeth Council said it had been working closely with the police in the weeks before the women's rescue. |
| A spokesperson said: "This is an extremely complex case involving a number of individuals going back decades. | A spokesperson said: "This is an extremely complex case involving a number of individuals going back decades. |
| "It is too early at this stage to provide the detail of any contact we may have had with them." | "It is too early at this stage to provide the detail of any contact we may have had with them." |
| The council said the security, confidentiality and well-being of those involved was paramount. | The council said the security, confidentiality and well-being of those involved was paramount. |