Westminster Magistrates’ Court issues warrant to extend their detention until next Tuesday

Police have been given permission to keep two Brent men in custody until next week following their arrest by anti-terrorism officers on Tuesday.

The 30 and 47-year-old are two of six men and a woman held during a series of dawn raids at four addresses in Brent, Croydon, Cardiff and Coventry.

All seven were arrested on suspicion of terrorist financing offences involving the illegal exporting of khat, a legal stimulant which is prevalently used by the east African community, to the USA and Canada where it is a controlled substance.

Last night (Wednesday), Westminster Magistrates’ Court granted a warrant allowing police to keep all seven in detention until next Tuesday (8).

The intelligence-led operation, targeting suspected fundraisers for terrorism overseas, was carried out by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, with the help of the Counter Terrorism network, the UK Border Agency and local officers.

Further raids took place at five residential addresses in Croydon, Kensington and Chelsea, Harrow, Ealing and Enfield, one in Worthing, and one in Coventry, plus a business premises in Coventry.

No further arrests were made.