Anti-terror police swoop on Rochdale suspect

SUSPECTED PLOT UNCOVERED

- BY EMMA FRADGLEY, RACHEL VICKERS-PRICE PA

EIGHT men were arrested in two separate counter-terrorism police investigations including one arrest in Rochdale.

Five men, including four Iranian nationals, were arrested at locations across England on Saturday on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act after a suspected plot “to target a single premises” was uncovered, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force confirmed a further three Iranian men were arrested on Saturday as part of a separate operation.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the arrests were sparked by “serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats”.

The first four Iranians were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the fifth man, whose nationality is yet to be established, was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Those arrested include a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area, a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area, a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man in west London, and a fifth man in the Manchester area. They remain in custody.

Another three Iranian men were arrested at three addresses in London as part of a separate counter-terrorism operation under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023. Section 27 grants police the power to arrest individuals without a warrant if they reasonably suspect them of being involved in “foreign power threat activity”.