Britain lowers threat level after arrest of 2nd man

LONDON — Britain on Sunday lowered its terrorism threat level a day after police arrested a second man in connection with the bombing in a London subway station that left dozens of people injured.

The man, 21, was arrested late Saturday in Hounslow, a borough in West London, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. The suspect, who was not identified, was detained under the Terrorism Act and was being held at a police station in South London, according to the statement.

The second arrest came the same day police detained an 18-year-old man “on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” in connection with the bombing.

That teenager was arrested in the southeastern county of Kent, in the departure area of the Port of Dover, where ferries leave for France, according to The Associated Press.

Police called it “a significant arrest,” and the suspect was later transferred to a police station in London.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing attack at the Parsons Green station of the London Underground, in a quiet, affluent part of West London. A crude explosive, wrapped in a plastic bag that was concealed in a bucket, detonated during the morning rush in a train at the station.

Witnesses said the carriage was engulfed in flames, and dozens of passengers were trampled as they tried to escape. No one was killed, but at least 30 people suffered injuries, including burns and fractures. Several people were hospitalized.

After the bombing, Britain raised its terrorism threat level to “critical,” the highest level, which means another attack is “expected imminently.”

Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced Sunday that the threat level had been downgraded to “severe,” meaning that an attack was highly likely. She urged the public to be vigilant.

Police said Sunday that they were searching two houses, one in Stanwell, a village in the county of Surrey, and another in Sunbury-on-Thames, also in Surrey.

On Saturday, officers began searching the house in Sunbury-on-Thames after evacuating surrounding buildings. The house being searched was occupied by an older couple known for fostering hundreds of refugee children, according to local news reports.

The couple were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire in 2009 for services to children and families.