Six people suspected of terrorism arrested in London as police raid community centre
Get foreign nationals supporting terrorism on the first plane out of here, says Patrick Christys
GB News
Six people have been arrested in London as part of a significant counter-terrorism investigation targeting suspected activity linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The arrests took place during dawn raids across the capital, with four men aged 23, 27, 56 and 62, and two women aged 31 and 59 being taken into custody.
All suspects were detained under section 41(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 and are being held at a London police station.
The PKK, which was banned in Britain in 2001, is a militant group founded in southeast Turkey in 1978 with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state.
The raids took place this morning
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Officers are currently carrying out searches at eight addresses across London, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, north London.
The search at the community centre is expected to last up to two weeks, during which time both the centre and surrounding area will remain closed to the public.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed there is no imminent threat to the public linked to the matters under investigation.
Officers are working to complete their searches as quickly as possible, though the serious nature of the allegations requires careful evidence gathering.
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Searches are still taking place
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Acting Commander Helen Flanagan from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command said: "This activity has come about following a significant investigation and operation into activity we believe is linked to the terrorist group PKK."
"These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group," she added.
Flanagan emphasised the Met's stance on terrorism, stating: "I hope that these arrests show that we will not tolerate any sort of terrorist activity and that we will take action where we believe there is harm being caused to communities here in the UK or elsewhere."
Flanagan emphasised that the investigation aims to protect all communities, particularly those in London's Turkish and Kurdish populations.
"This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities," she said.
The Acting Commander made a direct appeal to the public, stating: "I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch."
She acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the community centre's closure, noting that officers would work as quickly as possible while ensuring thorough evidence collection.
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