Man shot by police in London anti-terror raid
Police have shot a man and arrested another during an anti-terror raid on a house in east London early this morning.
The injured man, 23, is not in a life-threatening condition, but the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been called and has already begun its investigations.
Since being admitted to hospital, he has been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.
A 20-year-old man is also in custody after being arrested in the raids on a residential property at Lansdown Road, Forest Gate, by Metropolitan police service (MPS) at 4am this morning.
A spokesman for the Met said the operation followed “close liaison between the MPS, security service, Health Protection Agency and the local authority”.
He insisted the raids were nothing to do with the July 7th bombings on the London transport network last summer.
Police officers at the scene were wearing special clothing to protect them from a chemical attack, although the Met said this was purely a cautionary measure.
Three roads in the area have been closed, but while several people in the house that was raided have been removed, there has been no widespread clearance of the area.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, IPCC commissioner Deborah Glass confirmed that an investigation was already underway into the shooting of the 23-year-old man.
“The incident was referred to the IPCC immediately and our investigators were deployed to the scene early this morning,” she said.
“Examination of officers’ firearms confirms that a single shot was discharged in circumstances that are currently under investigation. We can confirm that injuries to the man are not life-threatening.
“The Metropolitan police continues to have full direction and control over the counter-terrorism operation. I can also confirm we have had full cooperation from the Metropolitan police service.”
Last year, the Met came under fire for stopping the IPCC investigating the fatal shooting by police of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, during an anti-terror operation two weeks’ after the July 7th attacks.
