Eight people have been arrested by Counter Terrorism Police in two separate raids.
Police confirmed five of the men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act with police uncovering a suspected plot to target a single premises.
Met Police then confirmed three more men were also arrested in London as part of a separate incident.
All eight men were arrested on Saturday - four of whom have been confirmed as Iranian nationals.
They remain in police custody.
In relation to the first five arrests, Counter Terrorism Police have been in contact with the targeted site to make them aware and to provide relevant advice and support.
However, in a statement issued shortly after midnight, the force said it would not name the site for operational reasons.
The nationality of the fifth man arrested in the first raid is still being established.
The Metropolitan Police said the arrests were linked to a "suspected plot to target a specific premises"
GETTY
The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the proactive investigation, which resulted in the pre-planned arrests of: a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area; a 46-year-old man in west London; a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area; a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area; a fifth man in the Manchester area.
All five men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006.
Searches are currently underway at multiple addresses in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon as part of the ongoing investigation.
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Police also arrested three additional Iranian nationals in London on Saturday
GETTYCommander Dominic Murphy, who is 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.
“The investigation is still in its early stages, and we are exploring various lines of inquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter.
“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: “We are working closely with local officers in the areas where we have made arrests today and I’d like to thank police colleagues around the country for their ongoing support.”
In relation to the arrests in London, police confirmed three Iranian men were arrested on Saturday as part of a separate Counter Terrorism operation.
Police said in a statement that Counter Terrorism Policing units had taken three men into custody in London.
Two of the men, aged 39 and 44 respectively, were arrested at separate addresses in north-west London.
A 55-year-old man was also apprehended at a third address, located in west London.
The trio were arrested and detained under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023 and remain in custody.
Searches continue at the three addresses across London.
In an early-morning statement on Sunday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper praised Britain’s police and security forces after Saturday’s spate of arrests.
“I want to thank the police and our security services for the action they have taken to keep our country safe.
“Protecting national security is the first duty of Government and our police and security services have our strong support in their vital work,” she told the PA news agency in a statement.
“These are serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats.
“The Government continues to work with police and intelligence agencies to support all the action and security assessments that are needed to keep the country safe.”
