This content was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Authorities are looking into whether there are “any additional risks” to the public as a result of the eight men British police have detained, including seven Iranian citizens, in two seemingly unrelated counterterrorism operations, according to officials ‘ statements on May 4.
Interior Secretary Yvette Cooper told investigators on May 4 that” These were two big businesses that reflect some of the biggest counter-state danger and counterterrorism activities that we have seen in recent years.”
Concerning two steps, certain details remained elusive.
According to the Metropolitan Police in London, five gentlemen, including four Iranians, were detained on May 3rd in connection with a alleged plot to target a distinct, unknown site. Officials claimed they were also attempting to determine the suspect’s citizenship.
Three Persian nationals aged 39 to 55 years old were also detained in London as part of a separate function that was unrelated to the first incident, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The Egyptian Embassy in London did not respond to the detention right away.
According to authorities, the men, ages 29 to 40, were detained in West London, Swindon, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester in the first occurrence.
” The analysis involves a alleged plot to attack a particular building,” the statement reads. Officers have been in touch with the damaged page to inform them and offer appropriate guidance and support, but for operational reasons, we are unable to provide additional information at this time,” according to a police statement.
The Counter Terrorism Command, the head of London police, stated,” We are exploring different avenues of inquiry to determine whether there may be any additional risk to the public associated with this matter.”
The defendants are being interrogated, according to authorities, who have not yet been charged informally.
Authorities said in the next event that the three Egyptian citizens had been detained under the National Security Act without providing any additional information.
According to the police statement, searches were continued at their names.
The detention come as tensions mount over alleged Iranian-sponsored actions in Britain.
According to Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s home detective service, since 2022, officials have responded to 20 Iran-linked plots that could have posed destructive threats to the consumer.
According to McCallum, hostile states, radicalized groups, and the revitalized Islamic State ( IS ) terror group have all come together to create” the most complex and interconnected threat environment we’ve ever seen.”
For the first time in March 2024, a journalist in London who spoke at a Persian-language media outlet and spoke out against the Persian state, was stabbed in the leg outside his London house.
Eventually, two men were detained in Romania and charged with the murder of Zeraati, a TV network for the Iran International information system.
