By Open Chronicle with agencies
British counterterrorism police have arrested a man and a woman in London on suspicion of providing information to Iran’s intelligence service, as UK authorities report an increase in investigations involving national security and state threats.
The Metropolitan Police said a 42 year old woman and a 60 year old man were arrested at separate locations in London under the National Security Act.
A third property in northwest London was also searched on September 9 as part of the investigation.
Police stressed that they do not believe there is an imminent threat to the wider public.
Suspected assistance to Iranian intelligence
The investigation centres on allegations that the two suspects provided information that could assist an Iranian intelligence service.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the nature of the information allegedly involved, the identity of the Iranian service concerned, or details about how the suspected activity was discovered.
The arrests form part of an ongoing national security investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing London.
At this stage, the allegations remain suspicions under investigation. No conviction has been established, and the two individuals have not been publicly identified in the information released by police.
Police rule out connection to other London incidents
The Metropolitan Police sought to distinguish the investigation from other recent security concerns involving Jewish and Iranian communities in the capital.
Police said the arrests were not connected to attacks involving buildings or venues associated with those communities.
Investigators also said they did not believe the case was connected to activities or events surrounding the Jewish High Holy Days.
That clarification appears intended to prevent speculation about a broader or immediate threat while the investigation continues.
No imminent threat to wider public, police say
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, acknowledged that the arrests could cause concern.
“We know that news of these arrests will come as a concern to some members of the public, but I want to stress that we do not believe there to be any imminent threat to the wider public in connection with this matter,” Flanagan said.
She added that British authorities had experienced a significant increase in national security investigations over the past year.
“We’ve seen a marked increase in the tempo of our work linked to national security and state threats over the past year, and this investigation is a continuation of that,” she said.
Flanagan added that police would act whenever suspected activity could threaten Britain or members of the public.
Growing focus on state threats
The arrests come amid heightened British attention to threats associated with foreign states and intelligence services.
The National Security Act provides authorities with powers to investigate activities suspected of assisting foreign intelligence services or otherwise threatening the security interests of the United Kingdom.
The latest case does not, on the information currently available, establish that the Iranian government directed any specific operation. The precise nature of the alleged relationship between the suspects and an Iranian intelligence service remains part of the investigation.
Police have also not disclosed whether further arrests are expected.
UK terrorism threat remains severe
Counter Terrorism Policing has separately emphasized that the United Kingdom’s overall terrorism threat level remains classified as severe, meaning an attack is considered highly likely.
Authorities have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour.
However, police specifically stressed that the London arrests should not be interpreted as evidence of an immediate danger to the general public.
The investigation will now focus on determining what information was allegedly provided, who may have received it and whether any wider network or foreign state activity was involved.