BREAKING NEWS
In what the British government is calling the largest counterterrorism operation in recent years, seven individuals, including four Iranian nationals, have been arrested across England in a sweeping crackdown on an alleged terror plot and broader national security threat.
Armed counterterrorism units executed coordinated raids Saturday in London, Swindon, and the Greater Manchester area, including Rochdale, detaining five men between the ages of 29 and 46 under the Terrorism Act. Authorities say at least four suspects are Iranian citizens, while the nationality of a fifth remains unconfirmed.
According to Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, the suspects are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act targeting an undisclosed location. “For operational reasons, we are not naming the intended target at this time,” Murphy stated. “However, individuals at that site have been given advice and support.”
Eyewitnesses described dramatic scenes as heavily armed officers stormed homes and businesses. In Rochdale, resident Kyle Warren recounted seeing “20 or 30 police with guns” descend on a house before dragging out a suspect. “He was thrown into the bushes, handcuffed, there was shouting, banging, it was chaos,” he told Sky News.
Military personnel are confirmed to have assisted in at least one of the arrests. In Swindon, plainclothes officers were seen following a man out of a cafe before wrestling him to the ground.
No charges have been filed yet, but multiple properties remain under forensic examination as authorities probe the alleged plot and its potential links to foreign entities.
“This is not just a counterterrorism operation,” a senior U.K. security official told CBS/AP. “It’s a counter-state threat, the most serious we’ve dealt with in years.”
The public is urged to remain vigilant but calm as investigations continue.
