Police have made several arrests this week after raiding a series of properties in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, with counter-terrorism police currently questioning four people about a suspected plot to carry out an atrocity at one of the UK’s Christmas events.
Citing a security source, The Sun revealed that the men in question planned to bomb a London Christmas market this week.
Three men were arrested in Sheffield and another in Chesterfield on Tuesday, with an army bomb disposal squad deployed in a flat above a fish and chip shop in Chesterfield, fuelling fears that the group were making explosive devices.
Dozens of homes in the surrounding area were evacuated as a precautionary measure when the raid took place.
Police have not released official details about the suspected plot and have only said that the arrests were “intelligence-led and pre-planned” as part of an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East.
In a statement, South Yorkshire police assistant chief constable David Hartley commented: “We are continuing to support the investigation and as planned throughout the festive period you will see an increased visibility of both unarmed and armed patrols right across the county.”
This is just the latest reminder of the terrorist threat the UK faces, with the security services recently revealing that they have foiled nine terror attacks in the country in 2017.
Businesses in busy city centres or areas where there are frequently large numbers of people may want to think about taking extra precautions at their properties, such as by fitting security window films to help prevent damage and injuries in the event of an explosion nearby.
