Four men were arrested in northern England on Tuesday for their alleged role in planning to commit attacks in the UK at Christmas.
Anti-terrorist officers arrested a 31 year old man at a home in the town of Chesterfield, where nearby residents were evacuated from their homes during the operation, while three other suspects – aged 22, 36, and 44 – were arrested in Sheffield.
It is suspected the mastermind of the planned attacks may have been constructing explosives.
The arrests were a result of a joint operation between police and MI5 – the intelligence service dedicated to internal security in the United Kingdom.
MI5 Director-General, Andrew Parker, recently warned that the terrorist threat in the UK is at unprecedented levels, with nine terrorist plans disrupted within the previous year including a foiled plan to attack the Prime Minister.
Read more about Tuesday’s arrests at the BBC
