Luton men arrested by terror cops held for a further week

Officers applied late on Wednesday, 15 July, to Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a warrant of further detention for up to seven days (from the time of arrest), which was granted by the court.

The men were arrested under the Terrorism Act (TACT) on Tuesday, 14 July, on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

At 12.45hrs one man in his 20s was arrested at a business address in Letchworth, Hertfordshire; the other two men - one in his 20s and the other in his 30s - were arrested shortly after at two separate residential address in the Luton area, Bedfordshire.

Officers from the UK’s national counter terrorism network, led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) and supported by colleagues from Bedfordshire Police and Eastern Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit, carried out the operation.

They were also assisted in the execution of one of the arrests by officers from the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command. No shots were fired.

Searches of one of two addresses in the Luton area have concluded; officers continue to search the other property.

The arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism. As this is an active investigation, we are not able to release any further information at this stage.