Iran terror suspect held over plot on British soil ‘very well connected to Tehran regime’: Police ‘warned dissidents of threats days before raids’

A suspected Iranian terrorist accused of plotting a deadly attack in Britain was last night claimed to be ‘very well-connected’ to the regime in Tehran.

The man, one of five arrested on Saturday during co-ordinated raids, is also connected to prominent businesses in Iran via his family, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The alleged use of Iranian nationals, rather than proxies, to carry out an overseas terror attack suggests a change in tactics by the hostile state.

It may also be indicative of the significance of the purported plot. However, police have refused to say whether the alleged plan to target an unnamed premises was ‘state-sponsored’.

Counterterrorism officers also visited Iranian dissidents just days before the two plots were foiled, warning them of the threat posed by Tehran.

Mohamad Khoshbayan – a former Shia cleric who preached in Iran but has been granted asylum in the UK after supporting Tehran’s opposition – was told to improve his home security, mix up his daily routine and highlighted the risk of violence. 

Travelling to countries near Iran where he kidnapped was also warned against, it was revealed in The Times.

Officers arrested the five suspected terrorist in raids in west London, Rochdale, Manchester, Stockport and Swindon.

A suspected Iranian terrorist accused of plotting a deadly attack in Britain was last night claimed to be ‘very well-connected’ to the regime in Tehran (pictured: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei)

Undercover police officers swooped on a suspected Iranian terrorist in Swindon after posing as customers in a café and ordering coffees and donuts

Iranian dissident Mohamad Khoshbayan was warned of security risks by counterterrorism police just days before the arrests

Witnesses in Swindon yesterday told of their shock at seeing six officers, who had been posing as customers of a town centre Costa cafe in jeans and hoodies, pounce on one of the suspects – moments after they were seen ordering drinks and doughnuts.

The first four men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the fifth was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

The arrested were a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man in west London, a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area, a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area and a 24-year-old man in the Manchester area.

Police were granted warrants of further detention last night, giving them until Saturday to question four of the men ‘on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act’. These suspects are understood to be Iranian.

The fifth, the 24-year-old whose nationality has not been established, who was arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, has been released on bail.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the investigation was ‘highly complex’.

He added that one was a terrorist plot to attack a specific premises, while the other was a national security issue. 

Police have been given more time to quiz three other Iranians held in London on suspicion of carrying out spy-related activity but are not treating the two cases as linked.

Members of the SAS are suspected to have supported counter terrorism police during the  operation to storm the alleged terror cell in Rochdale over the weekend (pictured)

It was part of a series of busts across England. Pictured are a group of Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers outside a home in Rochdale during another raid on Saturday 

These three suspects, aged 39, 44 and 55, are believed to have worked on behalf of a foreign state – understood to be Iran. 

They are the first Iranians arrested under the relatively new National Security Act, established to counter hostile states’ activities. 

As part of the investigation, officers are searching a number of addresses in the Greater Manchester, London and Swindon areas. 

Mr Khoshbayan, 42, published a piece last week criticising the Iranian regime, accusing them of antisemitism and insisting that holocaust victims should be respected.

The next day, he got a visit by counterterrorism police. The month before he had a threatening phone call ‘because I am supporting the Iranian opposition and calling for solidarity with Jews’.  

The grandson of prominent Iranian cleric said: ‘I was one of them [the regime], but I managed to escape and I speak out against them. They do not like it.’

It comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Sunday that the cases reflect the biggest counter state threat and counter terrorism operations in recent years.  

Asked about possible links to the Iranian state, she said: ‘These are major operations and the ongoing investigation is immensely important, and, of course, it involves Iranian nationals in both investigations. But this reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security we continue to face.’ 

Officers are seen detaining one suspect while another officer covers the window of a building

A police officer is pictured at the scene of a property in Rochdale which was raided by counter-terrorism police over the weekend 

Police were yesterday questioning four men ‘on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act’ after co-ordinated raids on addresses in west London, Rochdale, Swindon, Manchester and Stockport on Saturday evening. Pictured: Police in Rochdale following the counter terrorism raid 

Sources said the alleged plot to target a UK premises was a ‘major attack’ that could have led to an imminent threat to life. 

Mr Murphy said: ‘Our officers and staff are progressing what is a significant and highly complex investigation, and we still have searches and activity under way at multiple addresses across the country.

‘We are working incredibly hard, with public safety at the forefront of our ongoing efforts.

‘We believe that a specific premises was the target of this suspected plot and Counter Terrorism Policing officers remain in close contact with the affected premises.

‘At this time, we will not be providing further information about the suspected target for reasons of operational security and public safety.

‘I would like to ask people to support my officers in this and not to speculate or share information that has not been confirmed by Counter Terrorism Policing. We have clear and critical reasons not to provide more detail at this time.

‘The investigation is still in its early stages and we are exploring various lines of inquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter. 

‘As always, I would ask the public to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the arrests on Saturday ‘reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counter-terrorism operations we have seen in recent years’

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter-Terrorism Command, said the investigation was ‘highly complex’

MI5 chief Ken McCallum said his operatives have tackled 20 ‘potentially lethal’ plots backed by Tehran since 2022

‘We are working closely with local officers in the areas where we made arrests on Saturday and I’d like to thank police colleagues around the country for their ongoing support.’

MI5 chief Ken McCallum disclosed last October that his operatives have tackled 20 ‘potentially lethal’ plots backed by Tehran since 2022 – mostly aimed at dissidents opposing the regime.

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