Armed police arrest two more 21 July bombing suspects in dramatic raids

July 29, 2005

Armed police officers from SO19 have raided properties in the Notting Hill and North Kensington areas of London and Italian forces have arrested the fourth bombing suspect at a property in Rome, Italy. The raids were in connection with the failed bombings on July 21.

Scotland Yard have announced that a number of arrests have been made, and that three of the suspected July 21 bombers are now in custody. The most recently arrested suspects are reported to be those wanted in connection with the Oval tube and London bus bombing attempts.

Officers in full body armour, helmets and gas masks and armed with shotguns and assault rifles were seen moving in. Small explosions were heard soon after, and CS gas and stun grenades are also believed to have been used. Police are cautioning that CS grenade launchers and explosive entries could be mistaken for shots, and have said that no shots were fired.

Police at one point described the raid as entering a "challenging phase". Eyewitnesses said that the police asked one person in a building that was surrounded to give himself up. They apparently addressed the person as "Muhammad". Muktar Said Ibrahim, one of two suspects named after the failed 21 July bombing attempts, is also known as Muhammad. The other officially-named suspect has already been arrested in Birmingham.

At one point the cordon around the area was expanded, cutting off TV news stations from their broadcast vehicles which were caught inside the sealed-off area.

Two weeks before the failed attacks of July 21, a series of bombs on July 7 killed 56 people, including four suicide bombers.

More arrests
Two women have also been arrested at Liverpool Street station, but it is not clear if the arrests are in connection with terrorism. Both the surface and underground stations were evacuated and were searched, but have now re-opened.