The United Kingdom police said on Sunday that eight people, including seven Iranian nationals, were arrested in two separate counterterrorism operations. The arrests were made in London, Swindon, and the Greater Manchester area.
Five suspects, aged between 29 and 46, including four Iranians, were detained in raids on Saturday as part of an alleged plot to target “a specific premises,” the Metropolitan Police said.

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The four Iranian men were arrested under the Terrorism Act, while the fifth man, whose nationality was being ascertained, was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

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The police did not reveal the target site but said it had been identified with the advice and support from counterterror officers. The “site” has been made aware and is being supported by police.

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The footage showed armed officers wearing military fatigues storming a terraced property in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, said a report in the Guardian.

Marksmen carrying semi-automatic rifles and wearing helmets and body armour were seen removing a partially clothed man from the building in handcuffs before ordering him to the ground.

Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command, said, “This is a fast-moving investigation, and we are working closely with those at the affected site to keep them updated.”
“We understand the public may be concerned, and, as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us,” he added.

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The other three men, all Iranian, were arrested in London on Saturday as part of a separate investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. Police said the two operations were not connected.

Home Secretary Cooper thanks police and security services

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper thanked police and security services “for the action they have taken to keep our country safe”. She said, “These are serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats.”

Speaking to BBC, Health Secretary Wes Streeting thanked police and security services, saying, “Every single day these people are saving lives.” 

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The Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command has responsibility for leading counterterrorism-related investigations and as well as investigations into espionage and state threats.

Last October, the head of Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence service revealed that since 2022 the UK had uncovered 20 Iran-backed plots posing “potentially lethal threats”.