Terror threat to Pope: Five Algerian street cleaners held

12 April 2012

Five men were arrested by anti-terrorist police in central London today amid fears they were plotting to attack the Pope.

The suspects are understood to be of Algerian origin and working as street cleaners in Westminster.

They were seized by armed officers in a dawn raid on business premises after information about a potential threat. No shots were fired during the operation, conducted hours before the Pope addressed thousands of schoolchildren in Twickenham.

Benedict XVI did not alter his schedule as a result of the raid.

After being told of the arrests, his spokesman said: "We have absolute confidence in the security operation to protect both the Pope and the public."

The suspects — aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50 — were this afternoon being questioned at the high-security Paddington Green police station.

They were arrested by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command at an address in Westminster, believed to be offices, at 5.45am.

Searches were today under way at three other locations in the city but Scotland Yard said no weapons or explosives had so far been found.

Sources said officers "had no option but to act" because of the nature of the intelligence and stressed fears about a possible plot may not be realised.

The Pope was continuing his itinerary, with a slow procession through Westminster in the Popemobile.

Police are understood to have been concerned about the location of the raided offices close to his route. They also searched two homes in north and east London and other offices.

Sources said the suspects were not linked to any of the groups that had voiced protests against the Pope's visit to London. A huge security operation involving thousands of officers swung into action when the pontiff arrived in Britain yesterday.

It is thought the cost of policing his visit could reach £1.5 million.

Senior officers said there was no prior information to suggest any "specific group" wanted to attack the Pope but they warned people not to underestimate the "passion and fervour" his visit would bring.

Officers have interviewed mentally unstable people who they fear may pose a threat to Benedict.

There have been at least two previous attacks on Pope Benedict. He was knocked to the ground during a Christmas Eve Mass last year when a woman leapt over a barrier at St Peter's in the Vatican. He was unhurt and delivered his Christmas message. His assailant was later found to have been foiled in a bid to grab him the previous year.

In June 2007 he escaped injury when a 27-year-old German man tried to attack him as he was driven around St Peter's Square in an open-top Jeep. The man had to be subdued by the Pope's minders.

His predecessor John Paul II survived an assassination attempt in 1981. He was shot four times by a 23-year-old Turkish man, Mehmet Ali Agca, as he toured St Peter's Square. Agca was jailed for life.

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