A third man has been arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism following the discovery of 'non-hazardous substances' in Kensington Gardens. The London park was closed on April 17 after an Islamist 'terror cell' posted a video claiming drones carrying 'radioactive and cancer-causing materials' were heading towards the nearby Israeli embassy.
Police and forensics examined discarded items in the park, including jars containing a substance later found to be non-hazardous. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 31-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday morning at an address in the Potters Bar area. He remains in custody at a London police station, and officers are conducting a search at the address.
This arrest follows two previous detentions: a 39-year-old man arrested on April 21 in Ealing under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and a 37-year-old man arrested in Devon on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. The 37-year-old has been released on bail until July, while the 39-year-old was released without charge.
The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing after the 'terror cell' scare on April 17. On that day, forensic officers in hazmat suits and gas masks assessed discarded items in Kensington Gardens, which was closed to the public. The Iran-linked group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) had posted a video online claiming to have aimed two drones carrying 'radioactive and dangerous carcinogenic material' towards the Israeli embassy.
Security sources described the video as 'extremely amateurish', but authorities took the claims seriously, suspecting the group may be a proxy commissioned by pro-Iranian regime groups. The Metropolitan Police's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) team, a London Fire Brigade fire investigation unit, and the London Ambulance Service's hazardous area response team attended the scene. Divers from the Met's underwater and confined space search team also arrived near the bandstand.
In the HAYI video, two individuals in white hazmat-style suits handled drones adorned with the group's logo, with footage showing a drone taking off into the evening sky. The Met Police confirmed the embassy was not attacked but stated they were investigating the video's authenticity and any link to the discarded items.
Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia has claimed responsibility for several incidents since the start of the US-Israel-Iran conflict, including an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity. The group also claimed recent attempted arson attacks at a synagogue in Finchley and an Iranian TV station in Wembley critical of the regime.
The Metropolitan Police stated: 'CTP officers continue to work closely with Met Police colleagues in response to various incidents, which includes specialist officers providing protective security advice and support to a large number of organisations, community venues and businesses. Since the attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on March 23, there have been 28 arrests linked to the various incidents and CTP investigations that have followed – including a man arrested earlier today in relation to a terrorist incident in Golders Green. Of those 28 who have been arrested, eight people have been charged with arson-related offences and one person has been convicted of arson.'
