Police in London have arrested a 60-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman on suspicion of assisting Iran's intelligence service. The arrests were made on Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspected offenses under the National Security Act.
The woman was arrested at a property in north London, and the man was apprehended at a residence in northwest London. These arrests followed searches conducted on June 24 at residential addresses in the same areas. A third property in northwest London was also searched following the pair's detention.
Both suspects were taken to a London police station and have since been released on bail with strict conditions until a date in late October. Metropolitan Police Commander Helen Flanagan stated that the investigation is not connected to any incidents or attacks targeting Jewish and Iranian communities earlier this year, nor to any events related to the upcoming High Holy Days period.
Flanagan acknowledged that the news of the arrests may cause public concern but emphasized that authorities do not believe there to be any imminent threat to the wider public. She noted a significant increase in counter-terrorism work related to national security and state threats over the past year, and described this investigation as a continuation of those efforts. "As we've shown here, if we suspect any activity could threaten the safety of the UK or the public, then we will not hesitate to take action," Flanagan said. She also reminded the public that the overall terrorism threat level remains at severe and urged continued vigilance.