A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences following the discovery of a suspicious item on a London Underground train in North Greenwich. A 19-year-old male was arrested by Mets Counter Terrorism Command with the assistance of armed police on Holloway Road, north London, after officers discharged a Taser.
He was arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism acts, under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He has been taken to a London police station, where he remains in custody.
The arrest follows the closure of North Greenwich tube station for several hours on 20 October after the discovery of a suspicious item on a train travelling eastbound on the Jubilee Line. The closure led to parts of the Jubilee Line being suspended, resulting in travel chaos on the rest of the line.
A controlled explosion took place on the item to make it safe, and it is now currently being forensically examined
North Greenwich station is the closest tube to the O2 arena, with Canadian rock legends Nickelbacks scheduled performance at the venue unaffected by the incident.
A Met Police spokesperson said: Officers continue to encourage the public to remain vigilant and alert at all times and report anything suspicious to police.
The public will see more officers, including armed police, in and around transport hubs to provide reassurance around public safety.
The London transport system is operating as normal today. High visibility patrols by BTP officers on the underground and at stations will remain in place today to reassure the travelling public as they start their weekend. Anyone with any concerns should speak with officers who will be happy to help.
Police continue to appeal to anyone with information to call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321. The public is urged to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police through the anti-Terrorist Hotline [0800 789 321] or in an emergency 999.
Following the arrest, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: Thanks to the outstanding professionalism of the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London staff and the British Transport Police, this situation was dealt with swiftly and safely and no injuries resulted.
I have been in constant contact with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the TfL Commissioner throughout the past two days.
Keeping Londoners safe is my highest priority. I am urging all Londoners to check with TfL before they travel, and to remain calm and vigilant at all times.
Over the next few days you will see more officers in and around transport hubs to provide reassurance about public safety.
