Whitehall terror suspect named as British national

Active plot foiled and woman shot in separate operation by anti-terror officers

A terror suspect arrested in Whitehall on Thursday has been named as Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali.

The 27-year-old is believed to be a British national who was born overseas and went to school in Tottenham, north London.

In a separate operation, an active terror plot was foiled after police launched an armed raid in north London in which a woman was shot and injured.

Ali was detained by armed officers after a stop and search as part of an “intelligence-led” operation. He remains in custody, having been arrested on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act and possession of offensive weapons.

Police recovered knives during the swoop, which took place yards from the scene of last month’s deadly attack by Khalid Masood in Westminster.

Reports suggest the suspect was arrested after a concerned family member contacted authorities. Detectives are continuing to question him, while two searches are being carried out at addresses in London.

Meanwhile, six people were in custody after a team of specialist firearms officers stormed an address in Willesden, north London, on Thursday night.

A woman in her twenties who was shot during the swoop remains under police guard after being taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Elite armed officers carried out a “specialist entry” into a terraced property on Harlesden Road shortly before 7pm.

Police fired CS gas into the address, which had been under observation as part of a counter-terrorism operation.

Giving an update on the two operations, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: “Due to these arrests that have been made yesterday, in both cases I believe that we have contained the threats that they posed.”

Mr Basu said an armed entry was necessary in Willesden “due to the nature of the intelligence that we were dealing with”.

He said: “During the course of that operation, one of the subjects of that operation – a woman – was shot by police; she remains in hospital.

“Her condition is serious but stable. Because of her condition she has not yet been arrested. We are monitoring her condition closely.”

Picture: PA. Police in Harlesden Road, London, after a woman in her twenties was shot by officers during a raid on a home in the street.