UK police thwart suspected terror attack in Westminster

27-yr-old armed with knives arrested

SCOTLAND YARD Thursday said it foiled a terror attack and arrested a 27-year-old man armed with knives near the UK Parliament on terrorism charges, a month after a lone wolf attack left five people dead near the highly guarded Westminster.

The suspect was carrying a rucksack containing knives when he was detained “following a stop and search as part of an ongoing operation”, police said.

Whitehall, the political heart of London which houses Downing Street and other government buildings, and Parliament Street were closed to traffic as Metropolitan Police officers and forensics officers continued their investigation.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the man has been arrested under the UK’S Terrorism Act and is being questioned at a south London police station.

“The 27-year-old man was arrested in Parliament Street, junction with Parliament Square, by armed officers from the Met’s Specialistfirearmscommand.he was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism,” Met Police said. “Knives have been recovered from him,” it added.

Detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command are continuing their investigation in the area but police stressed there was no immediate known threat to the public following the incident, which took place just yards from the British PM’S official residence on Downing Street.

Prime Minister Theresa May was not in Downing Street during the police operation in Whitehall, her spokesman said.

PTI