Key facts
- Police arrested two men in their thirties in Manchester on Sunday.
- The arrests are linked to a suspected terrorist plot targeting the Jewish community.
- Counter-terrorism investigators believe they have disrupted an imminent attack.
- Searches were conducted at properties in Liverpool and Salford.
- The suspects are being held for questioning under the UK's Terrorism Act.
Police believe they have foiled an imminent plot to attack Jewish communities in the Manchester area, following the arrest of two men on Sunday. The arrests were made during the Jewish holy month and come almost a year after a deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans stated that the "long-running proactive investigation" led to the disruption of the plot, and that police believe the main suspects and any planned materials have been detained. The two men, aged in their thirties, were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act. While motives are still under investigation, Islamist extremism is among possibilities being considered, and investigators are examining any potential state links. Searches at properties in Liverpool and Salford have been completed, and electronic devices are being examined. Warrants have been granted for the suspects' further detention until Sunday, September 27. The Community Security Trust described the suspected plot as "utterly chilling" and a reminder of the serious terrorist threat facing Jewish communities in the UK.