Scotland Yard Arrests 14 Terror Suspects in London
Jim Kouri, CPP
September 02, 2006
Scotland Yard's counterterrorism unit officers arrested 14 men during a number of anti-terror raids in south and east London, according to the British Home Office.
The Muslims were arrested and charged with suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. The arrests were linked to allegations of "training camps" within the UK for people who want to engage in terrorist acts.
Police officers are conducting searches at the homes of suspected terrorists in south, east and north London, according to Scotland Yard. The suspects are in custody at a central London police station.
A Scotland Yard official told members of the news media that the arrests were not related to the recent alleged plot to blow up airliner flights from London's Heathrow Airport to cities in the United States, or to the July 7 bombings of the London transportation system
The BBC reported that one of the police raids took place at a restaurant in south London, close to South Bank University. About 40 officers in combat gear entered the premises which was packed with diners, the report said.
A number of arrests were made at the restaurant which was part of the Bridge Hotel, the BBC added.
The Chinese restaurant at the hotel is reportedly a favorite of members of the local Islamic population. The restaurant owner, Madi Blyani, told a reporter from BBC Radio 4's Today program he had been surprised by the arrival of a large number of police officers.
In a separate operation, two Muslim men were arrested in other anti-terror raids in Manchester but an official from the Greater Manchester Police said these arrests were not linked to the London raids. The pair were detained under the Terrorism Act and three addresses in the Cheetham Hill area were searched by officers.
An Islamic school has also been searched as part of the same ongoing anti-terrorism operation. The Jameah Islameah property, on a road named Catt's Hill in East Sussex, is an Islamic teaching facility for boys aged between 11 and 16.
Police in the UK are conducting surveillance of "thousands of people" who may be involved in terrorism, Scotland Yard's head of counter-terrorism says. Peter Clarke told the BBC that his officers had to be focused on a "whole range of people".
"Not just terrorists not just attackers but the people who might be tempted to support or encourage," he said. He recently described the intelligence picture in the UK as "very disturbing".
The Muslims were arrested and charged with suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. The arrests were linked to allegations of "training camps" within the UK for people who want to engage in terrorist acts.
Police officers are conducting searches at the homes of suspected terrorists in south, east and north London, according to Scotland Yard. The suspects are in custody at a central London police station.
A Scotland Yard official told members of the news media that the arrests were not related to the recent alleged plot to blow up airliner flights from London's Heathrow Airport to cities in the United States, or to the July 7 bombings of the London transportation system
The BBC reported that one of the police raids took place at a restaurant in south London, close to South Bank University. About 40 officers in combat gear entered the premises which was packed with diners, the report said.
A number of arrests were made at the restaurant which was part of the Bridge Hotel, the BBC added.
The Chinese restaurant at the hotel is reportedly a favorite of members of the local Islamic population. The restaurant owner, Madi Blyani, told a reporter from BBC Radio 4's Today program he had been surprised by the arrival of a large number of police officers.
In a separate operation, two Muslim men were arrested in other anti-terror raids in Manchester but an official from the Greater Manchester Police said these arrests were not linked to the London raids. The pair were detained under the Terrorism Act and three addresses in the Cheetham Hill area were searched by officers.
An Islamic school has also been searched as part of the same ongoing anti-terrorism operation. The Jameah Islameah property, on a road named Catt's Hill in East Sussex, is an Islamic teaching facility for boys aged between 11 and 16.
Police in the UK are conducting surveillance of "thousands of people" who may be involved in terrorism, Scotland Yard's head of counter-terrorism says. Peter Clarke told the BBC that his officers had to be focused on a "whole range of people".
"Not just terrorists not just attackers but the people who might be tempted to support or encourage," he said. He recently described the intelligence picture in the UK as "very disturbing".
Print
Email
