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| Cardiff City Centre |
Five men have been arrested in Cardiff and the nearby town of Barry in south Wales on suspicion of terror offences. South Wales police said the five were detained in relation to the
support of banned organisations.
Separately, two people in south-east
London were arrested by Scotland Yard counter-terrorism police.
The arrests in Cardiff and Barry were carried out by the north-east
counter-terrorism unit assisted by the Wales extremism and
counter-terrorism unit. Searches were carried out at six addresses.
The developments will once again focus attention on links to suspected terrorism in and around the Welsh capital.
Cardiff hit the headlines in June when 20-year-old friends Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan appeared in an Isis recruitment video in Syria. Nasser’s brother, Aseel Muthana, 17, also left Cardiff for Syria.
On Wednesday, two men, one from Cardiff, another from
Gloucestershire, appeared in court in London charged with helping Aseel
travel to Syria.
Police sources said the latest arrests were not connected to the court appearances.
The Wales extremism and counter-terrorism unit said the new
investigation in Cardiff and Barry did not concern any immediate threat
to public safety.
Nikki Holland, the assistant chief constable of south Wales police,
said on Thursday the force was proud to have strong links with its local
communities. “Their cooperation is vital to make sure that we tackle
radicalisation and extremism effectively together. I recognise the
recent media coverage has raised very real concerns but I would like to
thank and reassure the public that the links we have with our various
religious communities remain strong and constructive,” she said.
“I would like to ask once again for your cooperation and ask that you
contact us if you know or suspect something. We will deal with
information passed to us carefully and respond sensitively and
proportionately.”
During raids in London a 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of
being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts
of terrorism contrary to section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A
40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to possess and
supply fraudulent documents. The pair remain in custody at a central
London police station.
Searches were taking place at four residential addresses in
south-east London and one in Stoke. The arrests are linked to five
terror suspects who the Metropolitan police was given more time to
question on Tuesday.
Source:
Guardian Newspaper, UK
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