Ricin: North African arrested

2003-01-23 20:13

London - A north African man has been arrested following the discovery of the poison ricin in north London, Scotland Yard said, bringing the total number of arrests since the find up to eight.

A 31-year-old man of north African origin was arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 by police investigating the ricin find in a flat on January 5.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The arrest is part of continuing and extensive inquiries by the anti-terrorist branch into a range of terrorist activities in London and elsewhere in the UK."

The man, who was arrested on Wednesday in north east London, is being questioned at a central London police station.

A police spokeswoman said: "The arrest is linked to arrests in north and east London on January 5 and the search of the Finsbury Park mosque."

The man has not been charged.

Earlier this week, 150 police officers using battering rams and ladders raided the Finsbury Park mosque in north London, in Britain's biggest anti-terror operation since September 11.

Police later said they found tear gas, a stun gun and numerous documents of interest at the mosque.

Britain has arrested more than 280 terror suspects since the September 11 attacks.

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