Foster carers’ home raided after man is arrested over Tube bomb attack
Patrick Sawer, Steve Bird, Olivia Rudgard and Nicola Harley ARMED police raided the home of two respected foster carers in their hunt for the bomb factory used by the Parsons Green bomber yesterday, just hours after arresting an 18-year-old man close to the port of Dover.
The developments came a day after commuters fled in terror after a homemade bomb partially detonated on a District line train, injuring 29 people. Kent Police detained the teenager close to the port of Dover at 7.50am yesterday on suspicion of being a terrorist, describing it as a “significant arrest”.
Police officers were later seen searching bins close to Dover Priory railway station a few minutes’ walk from the port. The suspect was last night due to be moved to a south London police station. Dept Asst Commissioner Neil Basu, of the Metropolitan Police, said police were “keeping an open mind” on whether there was more than one person responsible.
He added: “We have made a significant arrest in our investigation this morning. Although we are pleased with the progress made, this investigation continues and the threat level remains at critical.”
The arrest location, close to the busiest ferry hub in Europe, raises the prospect the suspect could have been attempting to leave the country. Five hours later armed police arrived at an address in Sunbury on Thames, southwest London.
The elderly owners of the Cavendish Road property, Penelope and Ronald Jones, are a foster couple who have taken in hundreds of young people since 1970, including refugees from several countries. In 2009, Mr and Mrs Jones were appointed MBEs for
services to children and families. The honour was presented to them by the Queen at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Mrs Jones, 71, and her husband, 88, said at the time: “We open our hearts to all the children.
“Anybody that comes to us we will do whatever we can to help them with whatever they need.” Their home is 11 miles from Parsons Green and on the overground rail line to Wimbledon, which is on the District Line. The couple were unavailable for comment.
A neighbour of Mr and Mrs Jones, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Three months ago they fostered a lad from Somalia. My mate said he’s 16, but I’d say he was older than 18 what they are reporting. He’s been nothing but problems for them – he kept running away and stuff.”
A neighbour who gave her name as Daphne, who lives opposite the house that was raided on Cavendish Road, said: ‘’I am so worried about Ron and Penny, they are a lovely couple.” Friday’s device reportedly contained the explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and nails, but is thought to have only partially detonated from inside a bucket. There were fears the number of those hurt could have been much higher had the bomb fully exploded.
The train, which was bound for Edgware Road, was just pulling into the station in south-west London when the device detonated in the rear carriage, sending passengers fleeing to safety.
Parsons Green station was reopened in the early hours of yesterday. Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, speaking after a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee, said: “There is no doubt that this was a serious IED, it was good fortune that it did so little damage in fact.”
Asst Commissioner Mark Rowley said police were “chasing down suspects”, indicating that a potential network of plotters could have been involved in the Parsons Green attack.
The Met said it has spoken to 45 witnesses and 77 images and videos have been sent to detectives by members of the public. A key plank of the investigation has focused on CCTV. Troops have been dispatched to key sites across the country to free up armed police officers after the country’s terror threat level was raised to its highest point. The level is at critical, which means a further attack is feared to be imminent.