UKPOLICE-ap670
A British police officer at a crime scene. — Photo by AP/File

LONDON: A woman was arrested in London Saturday on suspicion of terrorism offences in an operation that saw six people detained earlier this week but which police say is not linked to the Olympics.

Officers from Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command arrested the 22-year-old in an early morning raid at a home in Hackney, northeast London.

She was held “on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” and remains in custody, London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation in which five men and a woman were arrested on Thursday, police said, adding that the operation is not linked to the London Olympic Games which begin on July 27.

Ahead of the Games, Britain's security threat level is set at “substantial,” meaning officials believe there is a strong possibility of a terror attack.

Five men ranging in age from 18 to 29 and a woman aged 30 were arrested Thursday and all six are being held on suspicion of terrorism offences.

Police on Friday obtained warrants for further arrests that will expire next Thursday.

Scotland Yard declined to elaborate, but British media reported that the arrests related to a possible plot involving Islamist extremists with potential targets in Britain.

The latest detentions come on the seventh anniversary of the July 7, 2005, attacks, when four suicide bombers targeted London's transport network, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770.

In a separate investigation, seven people were arrested over the past week after police found weapons hidden in a car on a motorway in Yorkshire, northern England.

Opinion

Political capitalism

Political capitalism

Pakistani decision-makers salivate at the prospect of a one-party state but without paying attention to those additional ingredients.

Editorial

Spending restrictions
Updated 13 May, 2024

Spending restrictions

The country's "recovery" in recent months remains fragile and any shock at this point can mean a relapse.
Climate authority
13 May, 2024

Climate authority

WITH the authorities dragging their feet for seven years on the establishment of a Climate Change Authority and...
Vending organs
13 May, 2024

Vending organs

IN these cash-strapped times, black marketers in the organ trade are returning to rake it in by harvesting the ...
A turbulent 2023
Updated 12 May, 2024

A turbulent 2023

Govt must ensure judiciary's independence, respect for democratic processes, and protection for all citizens against abuse of power.
A moral victory
12 May, 2024

A moral victory

AS the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Friday in favour of granting Palestine greater rights at the...
Hope after defeat
12 May, 2024

Hope after defeat

ON Saturday, having fallen behind Japan in the first quarter of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final, Pakistan showed...