Five youths held under UK Terrorism Act for alleged G20 plot

Posted by Philip Dru on 3/31/09 • Categorized as Economy, War of Terror

"Simple fireworks" and "imitation handguns" are all that it took for British authorities to arrest five young activists who allegedly aimed to disrupt the G20 summit.

"The three men, aged 25, 19 and 16, and two women, both 20, all live in Plymouth and the surrounding area," reported The Guardian. "They are political activists unaffiliated to any terrorist organisation, and were arrested at addresses in Plymouth. They are being held under terrorism legislation. The explosive devices were made from simple fireworks, police said."

The arrests were made under the UK’s Terrorism Act; a measure which was strongly criticized at its introduction for carrying the potential to "criminalize dissent."

They were detained and held over the last three days after police raids in Plymouth, while officers uncovered a number of weapons, suspicious devices and allegedly extremist materials, said Devon and Cornwall Police.

Asked to clarify by The Guardian, an official said, "It’s political, it relates to political organisations, it’s not extreme but it’s a different political view. It leads to motives and things like that."

"I think [the explosive] was more designed to disrupt than injure or kill," a source told the paper, adding that the quantity and type of material found at the addresses indicates a small-scale stunt.

"At a press conference at Crownhill police station in Plymouth, Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton said the investigation was sparked when a 25-year-old man was arrested for spray-painting on a wall in Plymouth city centre – but would not comment on the nature of the graffiti," reported the Press Association.

Under the Terrorism Act, the arrested youths "can now be held in custody for up to 28 days and questioned," reported the Brisbane Times.

"The arrests unfolded after a raid by police on the home of a man who was accused of graffiti and had been spraying the word ‘Antifa’ – for antifascist – and the name of a group that is anti-racist and fights extreme right-wing groups."

"The arrests were an ‘isolated incident’ and local people were not at risk," reported the BBC. "The arrested people have not been linked to any religious group.

"ACC Netherton said the weapons included imitation handguns and a Kalashnikov, as well as fireworks. No ammunition for the guns was found."

Police discovered three of the youths at the man’s home and arrested them initially on drug charges.

"One of those arrested was said to be an international student and the other four are British nationals. Police were granted more time to question them on Monday afternoon," reported The Telegraph.

"Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton of Devon and Cornwall Police said the suspicious devices were "made of simple fireworks" but were probably not lethal."

Local police were coordinating with the Metropolitan Police in London, which takes the lead in terror-related crime fighting.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We would stress that the investigation is at a very early stage and that speculation regarding the capability, intention or motivation of those arrested is unhelpful.

"At the current time we have no information to suggest a change to the threat picture facing either the demonstrations or G20," he said, referring to protests planned in London for Wednesday and the day of the summit.

With wire reports.

Raw Story | Stephen C. Webster | Monday, March 30, 2009

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