Police Raid West London Homes in 7/21 Case

07/29/2005

LONDON (AP) - Heavily armed police wearing gas masks and reportedly using stun grenades raided two west London apartment blocks Friday, and they said they made a number of arrests in their search for suspects in the failed July 21 transit bombings.

Police would not say who was arrested, but British media reported that at least two of the three men still being sought for the failed bombings had been arrested.

That would bring the number of arrests of men tied to the July 21 attacks to about two dozen. Another suspect was arrested in Birmingham on Wednesday.

Sky News broadcast video of two men in light blue body suits designed to preserve evidence leading away a man in a white bodysuit, shielding his face.


A witness told The Associated Press that a man wearing what appeared to be a bus driver’s uniform being led out in handcuffs.

The police operation was carried out in at least two locations in Notting Hill about a quarter-mile apart.

Armed police also arrested two women at Liverpool Street station, located in the central London, and evacuated the area. The women were pinned to the ground in a raid.

One woman is thought to have been in a line for the Stansted Express, which goes to one of London’s airports, when she was pushed to the ground by police.

British Transport Police said the operation was carried out by the Metropolitan Police and the site was being searched. Both the train station and the subway station were evacuated.

“The two women were arrested at around 1:54 p.m. and the station is now closed, the Tube is passing through on a nonstop basis,” a BRT spokesman said on condition of anonymity in accordance with British practice. “Police are now looking at a number of suspect packages and searching the station.”