Armed police arrest pair suspected of terrorist offences in central London

Two men spotted acting suspiciously a week after UK raised terrorist threat to ‘severe’

The men were stopped in Pall Mall in central London. Getty Images

Armed police in central London arrested two men overnight on suspicion of a terrorism offence after they were spotted acting suspiciously in a car in Westminster.

Officers stopped searched the men and their vehicle on Pall Mall. The duo – two 34-year-olds from East London - were then detained on suspicion of preparing terrorist attacks. No shots were fired.

The arrests come just a week after the UK raised its terror threat level to "severe' after a spate of attacks in Europe.

“Every day, police officers are on patrol across the capital, watching for suspicious behaviour and stopping people they suspect may be involved in criminality,” said Richard Smith, head of London’s Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism command.

“The public can help us continue to keep London safe by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious behaviour to police.

“Following the increase to the UK threat level from terrorism last week – as a precautionary measure in response to recent events in France and Austria – I would like to emphasise that the public should be alert but not alarmed."

The upgrade last week to “severe” – the second highest level – means an attack is deemed “highly likely”.

A teacher in France was beheaded last month by an extremist, with a series of attacks hitting the country soon after. Five people were shot dead in Austria earlier this month by a man described as an "Islamist terrorist".