Allah over at HotAir is saying it was a raid on a chemical bombmaking factory. In any case, it is the biggest anti-jihad raid since the July 7 bombings. “Man shot in anti-terrorism raid,” from the BBC, with thanks to all who sent this in:
A 23-year-old man has been shot by police during a house raid involving 250 officers carried out early on Friday under the Terrorism Act.
The man, who was later arrested, was taken to hospital after the search in Forest Gate, east London. His injuries are not life-threatening….
The operation was not linked to the London bombings of July 2005, police have said.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of the Met’s anti-terror branch, said the operation was planned in response to “specific intelligence”.
“Because of the very specific nature of the intelligence we planned an operation that was designed to mitigate any threat to the public either from firearms or from hazardous substances,” he said.
He said the purpose of the raid was to prove or disprove intelligence they had received.
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford described it as the most significant anti-terror operation this year.
The 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism as he was being treated at the Royal London hospital.
The 20-year-old man was being questioned at Paddington Green police station.
Police officers in protective clothing have moved into the terraced house in Lansdown Road in what is being described as a “precautionary measure”….
Meanwhile, a group of around 20 Asian men have gathered outside the gates of the Royal London hospital to protest at what they believe was heavy handed treatment by the police in the raid.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the raids follow an investigation into international terrorism targeting the UK….
One neighbour said the operation early this morning had involved “the most police I’ve seen in my life”.
And here’s the obligatory They-Were-Wonderful-People riff:
Another neighbour said a family lived at the address.
“They were respectable and nice people and we do not know anything else. They have always been nice to us,” she said.
“They have lived there for a long time. The kids all go to school locally.”