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Britain’s counter-terrorism unit has detained eight individuals, including seven Iranian nationals, as part of two ongoing investigations, according to the Metropolitan Police in London.
On Saturday, five men, four of whom are Iranian and aged between 29 and 40, were taken into custody on suspicions related to terrorism and alleged plans to target a specific location. The nationality of the fifth individual has not been disclosed.
The arrests occurred across various locations including Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale, and Manchester. Authorities mentioned they are in contact with the site of the potential target to provide necessary assistance, but they refrained from sharing details for operational security.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who heads the Counter Terrorism Command in London, stated, “We are looking into several leads to understand any underlying motivation and to assess whether there could be additional risks to the public associated with this case.”
The Iranian Embassy in London has not yet responded to inquiries for comments related to the arrests.
These actions come amid increasing scrutiny of Iranian-related activities in the UK. Last year, Ken McCallum, the head of the domestic security service, revealed that since 2022, they have dealt with about 20 plots allegedly backed by Tehran, which posed serious threats to UK citizens.
In a separate incident in 2023, an Austrian man was found guilty of conducting “hostile reconnaissance” against the London office of Iran International, a broadcaster critical of the Iranian regime. Furthermore, a British journalist of Iranian descent, associated with Iran International, was stabbed in London the following year.
The government has also designated Iran as a top priority on its foreign influence register, necessitating the registration of all its activities aimed at political influence in the UK.
In another, unrelated counter-terrorism probe, three Iranian nationals aged between 39 and 55 were apprehended in London for allegedly engaging in activities that threaten national security under the National Security Act enacted in 2023, aimed at countering actions from hostile states. Ongoing searches are taking place at their residences.
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