British counterterrorism officials have arrested five men, including four Iranian nationals – suspected of terrorist conspiracy, according to a statement issued by the London Metropolitan Police on Sunday.
The arrests were conducted in a coordinated raid at multiple locations on Saturday, including Greater Manchester, London and the small town of Swindon in the south.
Authorities say the case involves a suspicious plan to target specific unnamed locations. “This is a fast-moving investigation and we are working closely with the affected sites to make it updated,” said Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Counter-Terrorism Command.
Although details remain limited, police confirmed that four Iranian nationals aged 29 to 46 were detained under the British Terrorism Act. The nationality of the fifth suspect has not been determined and was arrested by the police and the Criminal Evidence Act. As the investigation continued, the five people remained in custody.
“We are still in the early stages of the investigation and are exploring multiple inquiries to understand the potential motivations of the suspects and to assess whether there are further risks to the public,” Murphy added.
Authorities released more details of the arrest:
A 29-year-old man was arrested in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man was arrested in western London, a 29-year-old man was arrested in Stockport, a 40-year-old man was arrested in Rochdale and a yet-to-be confirmed man was arrested in Manchester.
