Terror police find deadly poison
Anti-terrorist police have arrested seven people after discovering traces of the highly toxic poison, ricin, in London.
In the early hours of 5 January, six men of north African origin and one woman were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 at premises in North and East London by officers from the Metropolitan Police Anti -Terrorist Branch.
The six men, aged in their late teens, 20s and 30s, remain in custody and are being interviewed by Anti-Terrorist Branch officers.
The woman has since been released.
The arrests follow a joint operation between the Anti-Terrorist Branch, MPS Special Branch and the Security Service, and followed intelligence passed to officers.
A quantity of material and items of equipment were found at a residential address in Wood Green, north London, where one of the men was arrested.
Police say forensic analysis of the Wood Green address is currently being carried out.
Toxic material
Ricin, which comes from the castor bean, is considered a likely biowarfare or bioterrorist agent and is on the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's "B" list of agents - considered a moderate threat.
It is relatively easy to manufacture in small amounts but would be considered an unusual agent to use for a mass attack as it must be ingested or injected to take effect.
Large quantities were reportedly found in caves in Afghanistan.
It was also the toxin thought to have been used to murder dissident Bulgarian Georgi Markov, who was stabbed on Waterloo Bridge in London with a poisoned umbrella in 1978.
Referring to the threat still posed by international terrorism, Prime Minister Tony Blair told an audience of diplomats in London: "The arrests that were made earlier today [Tuesday] show this danger is present and real and with us now and its potential is huge."
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Pat Troop said: "We have previously said London, and indeed the rest of the UK, continues to face a range of terrorist threats from a number of different groups.
"And while our message is still 'alert not alarm', we would re-iterate our earlier appeals for the public to remain vigilant and aware and report anything suspicious to police."
Sir Timothy Garden, former assistant chief of defence staff assessed the likely threat.
"It depends very much on the quantities one's talking about," he told BBC News 24.
"It could have been produced by amateurs in very small quantities.
"If it's a significant quantity then it's a worry because this is a poisonous agent which would require a lot of work to produce in a major quantity for use by terrorists."
Tests continuing
The material has been analysed at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire.
A small amount of the material recovered from the Wood Green address tested positive for the presence of ricin.
Mr Troop said: "Our primary concern is the safety of the public and the police have worked closely with the Department of Health throughout.
"Tests were carried out on the material and it was confirmed this [Tuesday] morning that toxic material was present.
"The department is now alerting the health service, including primary care, about these developments.
"It is also ensuring that the Health Service is able to provide advice to the public, including through NHS Direct."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2636099.stm
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