This is the extraordinary scene in a once-peaceful residential street in Sunbury after police investigating the Parsons Green tube bombing put down steel barriers as they search the home of a suspect.
After a homemade bomb which could have killed dozens of commuters failed to properly detonate last week, anti-terror officers moved in on the west London home of foster carers Ronald Jones, 88, and wife Penelope, 71.
It is understood the couple were looking after an 18-year-old Iraqi refugee who is now at the centre of the probe into the terror attack.
Police have taken the extremely unusual step of sealing off part of a street where the Parsons Green bombing suspect is thought to have lived with a foster family
Around 20 houses are now behind a cordon, which is patrolled by police, as forensics and anti-terror experts investigate
The home of Penny and Ronald Jones in Sunbury, west London is being searched for clues into the alleged bomb plot
Around 20 houses in the street, which lies to the south of Heathrow Airport, are now behind the huge metal cordon set up by police to protect their investigation and police guard the entrances day and night.
Photos of behind the barrier show a police mobile command unit, complete with satellite communications, has been parked on the street, with an awning to give officers extra cover.
Neighbours have told of their shock and disbelief that their usually quiet street has become the epicentre of the Parsons Green tube bombing investigation.
One told MailOnline: ‘I can’t believe it. This is normally such a quiet street. But now look at it – police, TV cameras, it’s unreal.’
Two forensics tents have then been set up in front of the terraced home where the blameless couple, who had been awarded OBEs by the Queen after welcoming more than 260 children, live.
The couple, who have six grown-up children of their own, had given up fostering and were enjoying their retirement but in recent years were moved by the plight of desperate children arriving from war zones.
The house belongs to Penelope and Ronald Jones (left), a foster couple who helped scores of children. The chief suspect is thought to have been living with them. Yahya Faroukh (pictured, right, in the street), who also stayed with them, has also been arrested
Behind a ten-foot-tall iron cordon detectives and forensic officers are sifting through every object inside the lilac coloured house where the 18-year-old suspect of the potential mass killing lived
Forensics officers have been scouring every inch of the street as they try to piece together how the attack was planned
Residents have told of her shock and dismay that Penny and Ron Jones had unwittingly become involved in the terror incident
The couple have opened the door of their modest home to youngsters from countries including Iraq, Eritrea, Syria, Albania and Afghanistan.
A friend told the Mail: ‘To say they are gutted is an understatement. For this to happen, after all the kids they have fostered, and for it to ruin everything… questions have to be asked about what checks were made and who decided to place him with them.’
Stephen Griffiths, 28, who lives opposite the ‘lovely couple’, said they were visited ‘multiple times’ by police, and added that he thinks their house may have been under surveillance.
‘The police were there multiple times over the span of about a month – a few times a week.
‘They started off as normally dressed cops, then moved up in the police ranks, wearing black uniforms in an undercover car.
‘They used to speak to Penny and Ron on the doorstep, but the last couple of times they went in the house.
‘You always think foster kids are going to have a bit of trouble, but you don’t think terrorism. It’s crazy to think it’s over the road from you.’
Footage has emerged which is believed to show the bomber with his homemade device not far from the residential street
Mr Griffiths said the home was last visited by police between two and three weeks ago, and having witnessed Saturday’s raid, he now believes they were counter-terror officers.
‘You need to question whether the house was under surveillance,’ he said.
‘I think counter-terror police visited a few weeks ago, and if so, why wasn’t something done sooner?’
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the 18-year-old, who was detained on Saturday morning in the departure area of Dover ferry port, had not been arrested ‘in the last couple of weeks’.
But she could not confirm whether he or the property had been visited by officers recently.
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