Over the weekend, dramatic raids that led to the arrest of eight terror suspects—seven of whom are Iranian citizens—have continued to shake Britain. By midday Monday, British media reported growing speculation that the target of five of the suspects, accused of planning a terrorist attack, may have been a Jewish community site, possibly a synagogue.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the raid in which the suspects were captured on Saturday took place just hours before the planned attack was allegedly set to occur. The Daily Mail cited sources who said a “major attack” was in the works and could have posed an immediate threat to human life.
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These sources emphasized that the planned attack was not connected to the upcoming commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, which will be held Thursday. The celebrations began Monday with a military parade attended by King Charles.
British authorities announced on Sunday two separate raids. In one, five suspects—four of whom are Iranian—were arrested for allegedly planning an attack on a “specific site,” though no further details were released. Earlier that day, in a separate raid, three more Iranian nationals were arrested.
Authorities said the two groups are not connected and are being investigated separately. The Daily Mail reported that the second group belonged to another “Iranian cell” involved in espionage. Officials said they were arrested out of concern they might flee after the terror plot arrests.
The five men suspected of planning the attack were detained in different locations: Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester. Dramatic footage from Rochdale showed about 30 armed security personnel, reportedly including British Special Air Service (SAS) commandos, storming a home around 7 p.m.
Neighbors told local media the commandos wore masks and ordered a shirtless man in his 40s to lie on the ground at gunpoint. In Swindon, another suspect was arrested in the middle of a city street by masked officers.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Sunday that the two raids were among the largest counterterrorism operations Britain has seen in recent years. When asked about possible links between the suspects and the Iranian regime, she did not respond directly but hinted at a connection.
“The significant operations carried out and the ongoing investigation are of immense importance, and of course, Iranian citizens are involved in both investigations,” she said. “We support the police and security services in their investigations and security assessments.”
Iran has long worked to carry out terror attacks targeting Jewish and Israeli sites, as well as Iranian dissidents abroad. In recent years, warnings about Iranian activity in Britain have intensified. Last year, Britain’s domestic security agency MI5 revealed that at least 20 Iranian plots had been uncovered in the country since early 2022.
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In one such case, exiled Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati, a presenter with the London-based opposition channel Iran International, was stabbed outside his home in the British capital in March 2024. Two Romanian citizens were arrested in their country in December and are now facing extradition to the UK.
Following the exposure of the new terror plot, calls grew Sunday night for Britain to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. The ruling Labor Party had pledged to take this step while in opposition but has not yet followed through.
The Telegraph reported that some officials in the Foreign Office oppose the move, fearing it could sever a key backchannel with Iran used by both the UK and the United States.
Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform Party, said the Revolutionary Guards should have been designated long ago. “I have friends living in the Middle East who are shocked we haven’t done this yet,” he said. Labor MP Luke Akehurst also called for the designation, saying the recent raids underscore the urgency of the step.