An Islamic event was forced to close early this weekend due to alleged threats from a group of extreme right-wing terrorists.
Twelve people have been arrested for threatening the UK Ijtima event in Shrubland Hall, Suffolk.
Three of the 12 suspects – men aged 55, 60, and 82 – were arrested in Surrey on Sunday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, police said.
Meanwhile a 48-year-old woman was arrested in east London on suspicion of assisting an offender. Eight other men were held under section 41 of the Terrorism Act.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: ‘After becoming aware of a potential serious threat towards the Islamic event in Suffolk, we have moved extremely quickly to make several arrests in various locations across the country.
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‘I know this news may be concerning to the public and particularly those in the Muslim community, given that we believe the intended target was an Islamic event.
‘But as we have shown, we will not hesitate to act if there is any potential threat, no matter who or what the potential target may be.’
The current terror threat level in the UK is marked as ‘severe’, with the public urged to remain vigilant.
The eight held under the Terrorism Act include two men aged 27 and 29 who were arrested in Surrey; two men, both aged 42, held in Essex; a 27-year-old man arrested in Ipswich; and a 35-year-old man in Greater Manchester, who were all arrested on Sunday.
The remaining two men, aged 31 and 33, were held in London on Monday.
Thousands of people attended the event over the weekend, held in the grounds of Shrubland Hall, an historic country home in Suffolk.
Organisers of the event said: ‘The UK Ijtima remained throughout a peaceful religious gathering dedicated to prayer, spiritual reflection, learning and community values.
‘The spirit of togetherness was also evident beyond the formal programme. The vast majority of attendees joined people across the country in cheering on England during their World Cup victory over Norway. It was a positive and memorable moment that reflected the shared pride, interests and sense of belonging that unite communities across Britain.’
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