Information has been released noting that six people have been arrested through raids on properties in the south-east and the midlands in connection with a possible terrorist plot. The exact nature of the plot has not been divulged, however media outlets have sought to link the plot with ongoing concerns that Islamic extremist groups may seek to target retail locations in the UK.

Information received indicates that the arrests were performed as part of an intelligence-led operation and the raids would have been conducted at a point well prior to the stage where the arrested individuals would have posed an imminent threat to the safety of the public.

It has been suggested that the investigation noted at least one of the individuals appeared to have been attempting to assemble materials for use in the construction of an explosive device. Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal units were deployed to a property in Derby where one of the individuals had been arrested, but discovered that no explosive materials had been found, indicating that the attack plan had not developed sufficiently that it could have been staged in the very near future.

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