Some residents living near a house raided over the Parsons Green tube bombing have still not returned to their homes – although locals are now being permitted into the cordon by showing ID.
Anti-terror officers moved in on the home of foster carers Ronald Jones, 88, and wife Penelope, 71, in Sunbury, west London, after a homemade bomb which could have killed dozens of commuters failed to properly detonate last week.
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, and had previously housed 21-year-old Syrian suspect Yahya Faroukh.
Police were on Monday night given extra time to question the two suspects after magistrates granted warrants allowing the 18-year-old to be held until Saturday and Farroukh until Thursday.
Around 20 houses in the street, which lies to the south of Heathrow Airport, are behind the huge metal cordon set, but a formal complaint has been lodged over the police’s handling of the evacuation.
Residents who were given just minutes to evacuate their homes when the raid took place at 1.45pm on Saturday were allowed back in as of, but have to show ID to get past officers who guard the gates day and night.
Witnesses living close to the cordon told that some are still not returning to their homes amid the huge investigation.
Police have taken the extremely unusual step of using metal barriers to completely seal 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
Nigel Cole, who lives one house away from the Cordon, told MailOnline: ‘Everyone was ushered out and told they could go to a local rugby club. I declined that offer, my stepfather I just went to the pub until we could go back.
‘We were told we could go back at around 9.45pm [on Saturday], but the cordon finishes right by my house and those inside had to wait for longer. I have not seen my neighbours return home yet.’
Mr Cole has lodged a formal complaint to the Metropolitan Police after claiming he was ‘treated like a criminal’ after opening his front door to find an officer pointing a gun at him.
According to Mr Cole, because of the area’s high crime rate he initially thought it was an armed robbery using hoax uniform, as the officer was wearing a plan black police vest, jeans and ‘normal, tatty gym trainers’.
But when he asked the officer to show ID before allowing him into his home, he was allegedly threatened with arrest.
He told MailOnline: ‘He did not introduce himself but aggressively said “you need to get out of your house now”.
‘His uniform could have been purchased online quite easily and with the crime rate in our area I was quite rightly apprehensive.
‘I asked, “who are you”, he replied, “police, get out of your house now”.
‘He did not give an answer and I asked further, at which point he said to me, “There is no time for ID, get out of your house now or I will arrest you”.
‘I said “arrest me? For what? Asking to see your ID?”‘
‘During this time he was the only person I could see and he stepped forward with his hands on his gun and said, “get out of your house and do not close your door.”‘
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
Residents have told of her shock and dismay that Penny and Ron Jones had unwittingly become involved in the terror incident
At this point Mr Cole dialled 999 to verify the anti-terror team’s authenticity, and when confirmation arrived – coupled with more officers making themselves visible – he allowed them inside.
However, he was so unimpressed with their handling of the situation he has lodged a formal complaint.
He said: ‘They handled it disgracefully. I felt very threatened and treated like a criminal.
‘Had the officer presented ID and said “I am sorry but we have a situation that could endanger you and your family and we need you to evacuate” I would have happily obliged.
‘I have logged a formal complaint with Surrey Police and the Met Police. If they were like that with me, imagine how elderly people felt and worse, children who may have opened their doors.’
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 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 Penny and Ronald Jones (left), a foster couple who helped scores of children. The chief suspect is thought to have been living with them. Another man, Yahya Faroukh (pictured, right, in the street), who also stayed with them, has also been arrested
Forensics officers have been scouring every inch of the street as they try to piece together how the attack was planned
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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