After arriving in the UK on Tuesday, July 5, the man in his 30s was stopped and questioned by officers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act (TACT), 2000 at Luton Airport.
He was later arrested on suspicion of belonging to a prohibited organisation, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in violation of Section 11 of the TACT of 2000. He was also arrested on suspicion of supporting a prohibited organisation, a violation of Section 12 of the TACT of 2000.
The man was taken to a nearby police station and later released under investigation. Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command continue to lead the investigation, with assistance from colleagues in the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.
“Across the UK, there is a network of counter-terrorism officers working at our ports and borders,” said Commander Richard Smith, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. Officers collaborate closely with colleagues from the UK Border Force and other partners to help protect the public from potential terrorist threats.
“The public’s support is also critical, and as the terrorist threat level remains high, I would ask the public to remain vigilant, and if you see or hear anything that doesn’t seem right, please report it to us.”