Sixth terror suspect arrested during pope's London visit

London, England (News Today) - British detectives investigating a possible plot to attack Pope Benedict XVI arrested a sixth man Friday on suspicion of terrorism, Scotland Yard said.

The earlier arrest of five other men prompted a review of security arrangements for the pontiff's trip to the island, authorities said.

But the Metropolitan Police declined to say whether the case was directly linked to the pope's visit. Police said they were satisfied the pope's security plan remains "appropriate," and the pope's itinerary did not change.

The men were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows police to hold them without charge for 28 days. Searches were being carried out at a business in central London and at residential locations in north and east London, police said.

Police sources said there has been no intelligence about a specific threat to the pope before the information that led to the arrests.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope and his representatives were not particularly worried about the arrests.

"The police have already said that the information they have until now collected demonstrated there is no need to change anything about the program of the pope and the security," Lombardi told reporters in London.

He said he believed the police had simply taken "normal precautionary measures," and that everyone remained "calm."

"The pope is happy with the trip until now, and we can go on with the same joy as until now," Lombardi said.

The five men arrested earlier are street cleaners for Westminister City Council, the borough of London that includes Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and many of the city's tourist attractions, the council said.

They work for one of Westminister's contractors, Veolia Environmental Services, the council said.

Westminister said all staff are subject to checks to make sure they are eligible to work in England, referencing questions about the men's nationality, which has not been confirmed.

The five men were arrested at around 5:45 a.m. (12:45 a.m. ET) at a business on suspicion of the commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism, police said.

The men are aged 26, 27, 36, 40, and 50, and were taken to a central London police station to be interviewed by detectives.

They were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows police to hold them without charge for 28 days. The sixth man is 29 years old.

Searches were being carried out at a business in central London and at residential locations in north and east London, police said. Initial searches have not uncovered any hazardous items, they said.

Police added there was no change to the threat level in the United Kingdom as a result of the arrests.

Source : CNN

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