Two adults and three teenagers have been arrested in East London, as police swooped on a family who they say are being are questioned on “suspicion of possessing information which could help terrorists”.
The BBC reports:
Five members of one family have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences in east London.
Scotland Yard arrested a 51-year-old man, a woman aged 53 and three females aged 16, 17 and 19.
All were arrested on suspicion of possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. They are in police custody.
The man was also arrested on suspicion of possessing false identity documents.
Police said the 16-year-old girl had previously been arrested in July on suspicion of preparation of terrorism and had been bailed until September.
The Metropolitan Police said: “Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command attended an address in east London on Wednesday, August 12, and arrested five members of the same family.
“Officers arrested a 51-year-old man, a 53-year-old woman and three females – a 16-year-old, a 17-year old and a 19-year old.
“All five were arrested on suspicion of possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
“The man was additionally arrested on suspicion of possessing false identity documents with improper intention, contrary to Section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.
“All five currently remain in police custody in a central London police station.
“These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation which previously saw one of the females arrested on 2 July on suspicion of preparation of terrorism. She is, at present, on police bail to a date in September pending further enquiries in relation to that matter.”
Reuters adds:
Britain is currently on its second highest alert level of “severe”, meaning a militant attack is considered highly likely, mainly due to the danger the authorities say is posed by Islamic State fighters and Britons who have joined them.