London police arrest 2 over suspected Iran intelligence service links

Two people were arrested in London on suspicion of assisting Iran's intelligence service as part of an investigation into suspected National Security Act (NSA) offences, police said Thursday.

A 42-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were arrested Wednesday at an address in north-west London by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London, as part of an investigation into suspected NSA offences, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

"Both were arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 3 of the NSA, 2023 – assisting a foreign intelligence service. The country to which the investigation is linked is Iran," it added.

Police noted that the arrests were made following two searches that were carried out June 24 at residential addresses in the north and north-west London areas.

It said enquiries have continued following the searches, leading to the arrests, while a third residential property in the north-west London area was also searched Sept. 9 as part of the investigation.

"Both suspects were taken to a London police station, and were subsequently released on bail with strict conditions until a date in late October," it noted.

"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," Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said in the statement.