TWO MEN ARRESTED OVER MANCHESTER JEWISH COMMUNITY TERROR PLOT

The Metropolitan Police said two men in their 30s have been arrested over a suspected terrorist plot to target the Jewish community in the Manchester area. Officers arrested the pair in Newton Street, Manchester, on suspicion of offences under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Both men were subsequently taken to a police station in London, where they remain in custody. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, described the operation as the outcome of a long-running proactive investigation. She said the investigation had disrupted what police believe to be a plot targeting the Jewish community in the Manchester area.

As part of the operation, officers also carried out searches at addresses in Epworth Street, Liverpool, and Lancaster Road, Salford. Evans said counter-terrorism policing continues to focus on identifying and disrupting people who wish to cause harm in communities. She acknowledged that news of the arrests would cause further concern to the Jewish community and the wider public. Evans noted the timing coincided with a significant period of Jewish high holy days, with Yom Kippur, widely regarded as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, having fallen between Sunday and Monday.

Evans said the Metropolitan Police is working closely with Greater Manchester Police and other partners to keep the Jewish community and the wider public safe. She sought to reassure the community that agencies are doing everything they can in response to the suspected plot. Both men remained in custody in London following the arrests, according to police. No further details of the investigation were disclosed.