Woolwich Murder: Three More Arrests

Two men, aged 24 and 28, were detained at an address in south-east London on Saturday, while a 21-year-old man was arrested in the street in Charlton Lane, Greenwich, all on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

Detectives have made three further arrests in connection with the brutal killing of soldier Lee Rigby.

Police from the Counter Terrorism Command, supported by specialist firearms officers, used Tasers to detain two of them, the 21 and 28-year-old. They did not need hospital treatment.


The arrests came as Downing Street confirmed the launch of a new terror task force to crack down on extremism. The group, comprising Cabinet ministers and top police and security service officials, will focus on radical preachers who seek out potential recruits in prisons, schools, colleges and mosques.

The Prime Minister has also announced that the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) will carry out an investigation following the disclosure that the two men suspected of murdering Drummer Rigby - identified as Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale, 22 - were known to MI5.

On Saturday night, police refused to comment on reports that Adebowale was arrested two months ago.

Authorities in France are also investigating whether the murder of Drummer Rigby was linked to an attack on a French soldier, who was stabbed in the neck in a busy shopping area near Paris on Saturday.

The latest arrests in London occurred between 6pm and 6.30pm, and the three men are being held at a south London police station, Scotland Yard said. Officers were on Saturday night searching four addresses in south-east London. Searches have also taken place at three other addresses in south London, one in east London, one in north London and one in Saxilby, Lincolnshire, the former home of Adebolajo.

A 29-year-old man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder has now been released on bail, police said. Two women aged 29 and 31 have been released without charge after they were held on Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, and a number of other people not directly involved with the attack have been charged over malicious comments made on social networking sites.

Adebolajo and Adebowale remain in a stable condition in hospital after being shot by police when they charged towards armed officers in Woolwich on Wednesday.