Posted on 06/02/2006 11:58:26 AM PDT by MadIvan
A man shot by police in an armed house raid was questioned in hospital after arrest under the Terrorism Act.
He and another man, being held at a central London police station, were arrested in Forest Gate, east London.
The BBC has learned they are Abdul Kahar 23, and Abdul Koyar, 20. Both are of Bangladeshi origin. Mr Kahar's injuries are not life-threatening.
It is understood the operation was related to a suspected chemical device, although none has been found.
Bio-chemical experts
A single shot was fired, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which will investigate.
Some officers wore bio-chemical suits and carried gas masks in the raid on the terraced house in Lansdown Road, but nothing chemical was found.
The go-ahead for the raid came after discussions between MI5, the anti-terrorist branch, and bio-chemical experts from the Health Protection Agency which advises on the potential health risks.
An air exclusion zone was imposed around the scene, banning aircraft above it. But local residents were not evacuated either because the threat of explosions was not deemed serious enough or police did not want to alert the suspects.
The operation was not linked to the London bombings of July 2005, police have said.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of the Met's anti-terror branch, said the operation was planned in response to "specific intelligence".
"Because of the very specific nature of the intelligence we planned an operation that was designed to mitigate any threat to the public either from firearms or from hazardous substances," he said.
He said the purpose of the raid was to prove or disprove intelligence they had received.
Surveillance operation
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford described it as the most significant anti-terror operation this year.
Mr Kahar was arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism as he was being treated at the Royal London hospital.
Mr Koyar was arrested and is being questioned at Paddington Green police station.
Officers from M15 had been watching a group of British young people of Bangladeshi origin for weeks, the BBC's Margaret Gilmore said.
Their emails, phonecalls and movements were logged and the suspicion was they were planning a terrorist attack in the UK.
Intelligence officers did not link them with any other group of suspects but thought they were acting alone.
She said by Thursday they were convinced there could be a bomb in the East London house.
Roads closed
The search of the premises is expected to take several days.
A white and yellow tent has been set up outside the property, while workmen are erecting a two-storey high scaffolding screen around the building.
Several people in the house at the time of the raid were moved to other premises. They have not been arrested.
Lansdown Road, and neighbouring Rothsay Road and Prestbury Road, are all closed.
A 14-year-old boy, Nimesh Patel, who saw the raid, said police broke in through a window, and then opened the front door.
He said the person shot appeared to have a shoulder injury.
Another witness said he had seen a man wearing a bloodstained T-shirt being carried out of the house after the raid.
Meanwhile, a group of around 20 Asian men gathered outside the gates of the Royal London Hospital to protest at what they believe was heavy handed treatment by the police in the raid.
The IPCC, in a statement, said it would use its own investigators to "examine the circumstances surrounding the discharge of a police firearm".
Deborah Glass, IPCC commissioner, said: "An examination of the officers' firearms confirms that a single shot was discharged in circumstances that are currently under investigation."
It investigated the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes by police at Stockwell Tube station, the day after the failed 21 July bombings.
Flying ban
The Civil Aviation Authority says an air exclusion zone has been set up over east London and will be in place for four days.
Aircraft are banned from flying over the site below 2,500ft.
Residents said Forest Gate was a typical east London "mixed" community with a large number of Bengali and Pakistani families, along with a recent influx of Eastern Europeans.
One neighbour said the operation early this morning had involved "the most police I've seen in my life".
Another neighbour said a "respectable and nice" family lived at the address.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Be careful Ivan...the bad guys are hell bent on hitting you guys again.
What kind of coverage is this getting over there Ivan..
Heh... typical BBC headline.
The story is that there was a raid on a bomb factory in E.London where they suspect chemical/biological weapons being produced.
But the headline is about how one "got shot"
I kinda' wish they just would have stabbed him a few times, and lead with the REAL story.
BTW: Here is how debka played it:
Chemical, biological or radiological substances suspected in terrorist bomb factory raided at private East London address
June 2, 2006, 1:54 PM (GMT+02:00)
One man was shot, another arrested - both of Pakistani orign - in the pre-planned, intelligence-led British police anti-terror raid in Forest Gate, East London early Friday. The police officers were armed and wore protective clothes. The area has a large Muslim immigrant population, early Friday. Security and health department personnel took part in the raid. The man shot is not in danger.
London police say the raid was not directly linked to last year's July 7 attacks on London transport.
Regards, Ivan
You all better have had a warrant for this snooping....:-)
They didn't find the device....could be there never was one...or this was only in the planning stages...or they completed building it and have moved it near the planned target.
Regards, Ivan
I saw this on FNC much earlier today.
Greatest good for greatest number. It's the only thing that works in times of stress. Stay well. Stay free.
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