FIVE MEN AND ONE woman were arrested by police in London early this morning on suspicion of committing terrorism offences.

Three of the men, aged 18,24 and 26, were arrested at a residential premises in east London in an operation involving the police firearms unit. A taser was used on the 24-year-old man during his arrest but police said that he did not require any hospital treatment.

The other three people were arrested in west London; one man, 29, was arrested on the street while the other man, aged 21, and the woman, 30, were arrested at separate residences.

All five are being held at a south-east London station for questioning on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Police are also carrying out searches at eight different residential premises and one business premises in London under the Terrorism Act.

The Metropolitan Police have said that today’s operation by the service’s counter terrorism command “is not linked to the Olympic and Paralympic Games”.