Counter-terror police conducted two separate operations in London on Thursday after a careful surveillance of multiple suspects. In the first operation, a man was detained only a few metres from Whitehall with several knives in his backpack.
The 27-year-old was detained only a few metres from where Khalid Masood launched his attack in March which killed five people.
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It was a dramatic scene where he was arrested, with specialist officers dressed in blue and white jump suits inspecting the man's bag, while heavily armed police blocked off traffic and pedestrians.
Following the arrest, Prime Minister Theresa May said: "I think it shows that our police and our intelligence and security services are on the alert as they always are, looking to keep us safe and secure.
"I would say that we owe a huge debt of gratitude to these people, many of whom are unseen, unheard, yet the job they do day in, day out to keep us secure is a really important one and we should thank them for it."
Yesterday, the courts allowed police more time to question the man named as Khalid Mohammad Omar Ali.
A few hours after the arrest, four people were detained in Willesden, north-west London. The BBC reports one of those was 21-year-old Mohamed Amoudi, who had previously been questioned by intelligence agencies for trying to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.
During that operation in Willesden, a 21-year-old woman was shot when armed police stormed a property on Harlesden Road.
Window shattered after police enter Willesden property. Credit: PA
The woman has spent the past few days in hospital under police guard and was discharged yesterday. She was almost immediately arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation, and instigation of terror acts.
Three other women, two aged 18 and 19 have also been arrested under the same suspicions. They were detained after Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command executed raids in east London earlier today. According to the Independent, the teenagers are being questioned by police outside of London.
Following the two operations on Thursday, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu released a statement: "With the attack in Westminster on 22 March so fresh in people's minds, I would like to reassure everyone that across the country officers are working round the clock to identify those people who intend to commit acts of terror.
Credit: PA
"After that attack, we increased the number of officers on duty patrolling at key locations - and that continues as we police against the backdrop of a severe terrorist threat.
"There are constant acts of immense bravery by officers - armed and unarmed - those that the public see when our officers run towards danger, just like yesterday, but a huge amount of unseen work that the public will never know about from us and our brilliant security services."
He also added that the community should be thanked for their support as these arrests wouldn't have been brought about without their tip-offs.
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Source: The Guardian, The Independent, The BBC, and Met News
Featured Image Credit: PA