Far-Right terror plot smashed: Man arrested in dawn raid was planning attack inspired by Christchurch massacre, sources say
- Scotland Yard swooped on an address in Luton on Wednesday in a dawn raid
- Far-right plot is said to have been inspired by Christchurch, New Zealand
- Man, 25, was arrested on suspicion of being involved in terrorism
Police smashed an alleged Christchurch-inspired Right-wing terror plot on the eve of the General Election, it emerged last night.
Officers from Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command swooped in a dawn raid on an address in Luton on Wednesday and arrested a Polish man suspected of plotting an atrocity.
He is said to have been inspired by the gun rampage on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March.
Police swooped on address in Luton, pictured is Luton town centre, in a dawn raid due to an alleged Christchurch-inspired right-ring terror plot
Brenton Tarrant faces trial next year accused of live streaming himself on Facebook while he shot dead 51 people during the mosques’ Friday prayers.
Yesterday sources said the attack on March 15 had influenced an alleged extreme Right-wing plot in the UK, which was said to be in its infancy when it was foiled by police on Wednesday.
Last night officers were still questioning a 25-year-old man arrested on suspicion of being involved in terrorism.
It is understood that no targets had yet been identified, and there is no suggestion it was related to the election or festive activities such as Christmas markets.
However, the timing of the arrest suggests that police and the security services were taking a safety first approach to eliminate the possibility that the suspect could act to disrupt yesterday’s voting. Scotland Yard said: ‘Police are searching two addresses in Luton in connection with the investigation. There is no immediate risk to the public.’
A gunman shot 51 people dead when he attacked during mosques’ Friday prayers in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Pictured: Muslim worshipper mourning at Al Noor mosque that was targeted)
Christchurch High court pictured prior to the hearing for the gunman
Police have described the rise of the far-Right as the fastest-growing terrorist threat in the UK.
The emergence of a terrorist plot so close to Christmas will raise concern about the decision to downgrade the threat level from severe to substantial for the first time in five years.
Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the decision, by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, at the start of November. The ‘substantial’ threat level continues to indicate that an attack might ‘occur without further warning’, she said.
On November 29, convicted terrorist Usman Khan, 28, went on a stabbing spree, fatally wounding two Cambridge University graduates and injuring several other people on London Bridge.