Suspect arrested over Iran-backed plot to attack Israeli embassy ‘arrived in UK as asylum seeker'
Thomas Godfrey
Michael Hamilton
Published: Invalid Date,
AT least one Iranian suspect arrested over an alleged plot to attack the Israeli embassy in London had made a claim for asylum in the UK, it is understood.
The man was among five held by armed counter-terror police over an imminent bid to target a 'specific premises' — said to be the high-security consulate in Kensington, West London.
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It is now understood he had entered the UK from abroad and made an asylum claim, which was still ongoing when he was picked up in a series of national raids on May 3.
The five males were arrested in West London, Swindon, Manchester, Rochdale and Stockport, with Special Forces soldiers assisting police in the orchestrated operation.
Two of the suspects are aged 29, one is 24, another 40 and one is 46.
One of the five is said to have close ties to Iran's government.
Counter-terror police are still attempting to identify how the others arrived in the UK and what their backgrounds may be.
It leaves open the possibility that others from the group could have arrived in Britain either illegally or by other means to claim asylum.
Yesterday, the Met Police were granted warrants of further detention for four of the men.
It means they can be questioned until next Saturday, when they must be charged or bailed under the Terrorism Act, or released.
The fifth — a 24-year-old Iranian — has been released on conditional police bail to a date this month.
Official figures show asylum claims by Iranians have soared from 2,011 in 2014 to 8,099 in 2024 — a 302 per cent increase.
The Islamic republic ranks behind Pakistan and Afghanistan as the third highest nation for claims.
And more than 10,000 Iranians have come into the UK on small boats from Calais since June 2023, statistics also show.
The Met said its officers continue to carry out searches at a number of addresses in the Greater Manchester, London and Swindon areas.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'We are working incredibly hard with public safety at the forefront of our ongoing efforts.
'We have clear and critical reasons for not providing further details at this time. As soon as we can, we will look to share further information with the public.'
Israel's embassy in West London — the alleged target — is ringed by 8ft walls, guard posts, state-of-the-art monitoring systems and 24-hour armed security.
It means any attack would have had to use lethal force and likely take out specialist diplomatic protection cops in the process.
Security minister Dan Jarvis described the operation to arrest the alleged plotters as 'some of the largest counter-state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times'.
It has been reported taxpayer-funded asylum hotels were searched as part of the operation.
It comes as we can reveal how an Iranian-backed criminal group named by ministers last week had previously targeted Israel's consulate in Sweden.
The Foxtrot Network, already linked to shootings, bombings and targeted assaults across Europe, was referenced by Mr Jarvis a day after the May 3 arrests.
Swedish police have said the group attempted an attack on the embassy in Stockholm in January 2024 — with a hand grenade thrown near the building.
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It was spotted by staff who called the police, and the device later destroyed in a controlled explosion.
Two teenagers were also accused of carrying out another attempted attack on the embassy last May at the direction of Iran-backed agents.
Iran's embassy in Sweden denied having a role in either attack.
It is unknown if Foxtrot had any involvement in the alleged plot to attack the London site.
The network's fugitive leader, Rawa Majid, 38, has been on the run since March after fleeing his home in Turkey.
He and Foxtrot had been sanctioned by the Foreign Office last month, and Mr Jarvis highlighted their actions again following the five UK-based arrests.
He said: 'The Government sanctioned the Foxtrot Network last month, a network involved in violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.'
The Foreign Office previously revealed more than 20 Iran-backed plots to kidnap or kill British nationals on UK soil have been thwarted since 2022.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: 'Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions.'
'WE MUST CONTROL MIGRATION'
By JULIA ATHERLEY
MIGRATION 'must be properly controlled and managed so the system is fair', the Home Secretary has said.
Yvette Cooper's comments come as ministers prepare to lay out sweeping reforms to the immigration system.
The skilled visa threshold will be increased to degree-level, and employers will be told they must train workers in the UK, under plans to be presented to Parliament tomorrow.
The Immigration White Paper is part of the Government's efforts to reduce net migration to the UK, with the figure reaching 728,000 in 2024.
Meanwhile, children and women were among those to arrive in Dover, Kent, yesterday — the first migrants to cross the Channel since May 2.
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