Four arrested in UK for ‘spying on Jewish community for Iran’
Counter-terrorism detectives are scouring properties in northwest London linked to four men suspected of spying for Iran’s intelligence services.
The group were arrested after suspicions that they may have been targeting people and locations with links to the Jewish community in Iran.
One of the men is Iranian, while three are dual British-Iranian nationals.
The men are aged 22, 40, 52 and 55, and they were apprehended at various addresses across northwest London in Harrow, Watford and Barnet shortly after 1am today, the Met Police confirmed.
Counter-terrorism officers are carrying out searches at these addresses and further properties in Wembley and Barnet.
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They were taken into custody on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service.
The move comes after alleged surveillance of the Jewish community in the capital.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter terrorism policing in London, said: ‘We understand the public may be concerned, in particular the Jewish community, and as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us.’
Another six men – aged 29, 39, 42 and 49 – were also arrested in the same location in Harrow on suspicion of assisting an offender.
They were taken into custody, the force said.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has commented on the arrests briefly, but declined to give any further details.
He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism globally and sadly, that is in effect in our own society as well.
‘Our intelligence services and counter-terrorism police have thwarted lots of action over the last few years.
‘This is now a live investigation, so I won’t comment on that any further, except to thank our security staff and police for continuing to keep our people safe and doing everything they can where people would cause us harm and individuals in our country harm.’
Tensions are high after the latest escalation of the crisis in the Middle East into active conflict after joint US-Israel airstrikes in Iran on Saturday, which killed the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and people in his close circle.
Iran has responded with retaliatory attacks across the Gulf countries and Israel.
Expats and residents in Dubai received emergency phone alerts this morning telling them to shelter in place due to the threat of further airstrikes.
In Israel today, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said it had intercepted and neutralised missile launched from Iran.
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