Armed police have arrested four men suspected of spying for Iran and allegedly conducting surveillance on synagogues and Jewish individuals in London. The arrests, made under the National Security Act, are the first of suspects alleged to be acting in Iran's interests since the country was attacked by the US and Israel.
Counter-terrorism detectives are investigating whether the surveillance was linked to a desire to carry out attacks on British soil. The operation, involving counter-terrorism police and MI5, had been running for months. Three of the arrests were made in London and one in Hertfordshire, with searches also conducted at addresses in Barnet and Wembley.
Those detained include a 40-year-old man and a 55-year-old man arrested in Barnet, a 22-year-old man in Harrow, and a 52-year-old man in Watford. All arrests took place at 1am on Friday. In Harrow, six additional men were detained on suspicion of assisting an offender, including one who allegedly assaulted an officer.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the arrests meant police had kept “Britain safe from a potential threat”. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “Today's arrests are part of a long-running investigation and part of our ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it.”
The Community Safety Trust said: “Security is strong across the Jewish community. CST thanks Counter Terror Policing London and will not be commenting further at this time.” A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We are grateful to the police for foiling this alleged plot, which underscores the reality in which the Jewish community lives.”
British security officials believe Iran aims to target Jewish interests in the UK as a strike against Israel. In October last year, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said 20 Iran-linked plots had been disrupted on UK soil in the previous 12 months, including at least one involving an Israeli target.
