Five men aged between 19 and 23 are arrested for terror offences in Manchester, Peterborough and London the day before New Year's Eve

• Met confirmed the arrests of five men from three different parts of the country 
• One held in Manchester, two in Peterborough and two held in north London
• Multiple properties are all being searched across the three English cities 
• Held on suspicion of commissioning, preparing or instigating an act of terrorism 

Five men aged between 19 and 23 were arrested in multiple raids across England today as police foiled a suspected terror plot.

The suspects were held in Manchester, Peterborough and north London on suspicion of terror offences, Scotland Yard has said. Multiple properties in the cities are also being searched by specialist officers. 

The Met has refused to give details about the alleged plot but said the arrests are not linked to the London Bridge attack in November where convicted terrorist Usman Khan went on a stabbing spree, fatally wounding two Cambridge university graduates and injuring several others.  

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The arrests come just a months after an attack on London Bridge (Usman Khan being shot dead above) but the force said they are not linked to the attack 

Despite the timing of the raids, police said they have not foiled an attack linked to New Year's Eve festivities tomorrow.  

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the arrests were pre-planned and stressed 'there is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public'.  

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Usman Khan (pictured) stabbed two people to death and injured three others near London Bridge at the end of November

Those held were:  

• A 21-year-old man arrested in Manchester on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism;
• A 19-year-old man was arrested in Peterborough and two men aged 22 and 23 were arrested in north London on suspicion of the same offence;
• A 19-year-old man was also arrested in Peterborough on suspicion of encouraging terrorism;

Searches are under way at addresses in Manchester, Peterborough and north London.

A Met statement said: 'Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command along with colleagues from the Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW) unit and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) CTP have arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism offences.

'The men were arrested on the morning of Monday, 30 December at addresses in north London, Manchester and the Peterborough areas.

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The suspects, aged between 19 and 23, were held in Manchester, Peterborough and north London on suspicion of terror offences, Scotland Yard has said

'All five men remain in police custody at this time'. 

Those arrested for plotting a terror attack included a 21 year old in Manchester, a 19 year old in Peterborough and two men, aged 22 and 23, in north London.

A 19-year-old suspected of encouraging terrorism was arrested in Peterborough.