BREAKING UK Westminster on Lockdown 27.4.17

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/797399/westminster-attack-police-whitehall-parliament-terror
WESTMINSTER TERROR: Parliament on lockdown as armed police arrest 'man with knives'

WESTMINSTER has been placed on lockdown after armed police arrested a man carrying knives near the Houses of Parliament.

By JOEY MILLAR, KATIE MANSFIELD AND ALIX CULBERTSON
PUBLISHED: 15:37, Thu, Apr 27, 2017 | UPDATED: 17:01, Thu, Apr 27, 2017

Armed police shut down streets surrounding Westminster
The 27-year-old man was found with knives in his backpack and has been arrested under the Terrorism Act in Parliament Street at the junction with Parliament Square.

Whitehall and Parliament Street were sealed off by police this afternoon as armed police and forensics officers rushed to the scene at 2.22pm.

The suspect was found with knives in his bag following a stop and search as part of an ongoing operation, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

He was seen co-operating with police after they put handcuffs on him while kneeling on the ground on a traffic island as he was questioned for about 20 minutes by police.

The man then allowed himself to be walked into an unmarked police van which took him to a South London police station.

Scotland Yard said he was already known to counter-terror police.

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He has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism, the spokesman added.

Police said there is no more threat to the area, however detectives are investigating the incident.

Some buildings in the area were also closed shortly after 2pm.

The incident comes just over a month after Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in a rented car before fatally stabbing PC Keith Palmer in the grounds of the Parliamentary estate.

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The 27-year-old man as he was questioned by police after being arrested in Westminster
Photos showed a huge number of armed police at the scene, close to Theresa May's ministerial offices and just 100m from Downing Street.

Two knives could be seen on the ground next to a man being held by officers with his arms behind his back.

Parliament ON LOCKDOWN - Armed police arrest man with knives in Westminster
Thu, April 27, 2017
WESTMINSTER has been placed on knockdown after armed police arrested a man carrying knives near the Houses of Parliament

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A man is held by police in Westminster after an arrest was made on Whitehall in central London
Armed police put Whitehall on lockdown
Firearms officers from the British police stop armed man
Firearms officers from the British police stop armed man
A British police forensics officer holds
Knives were found in the man's rucksack
A witness told the BBC one of the knives looked like a large bread knife.

Scotland Yard said one arrest had been made and no injuries were reported.

Mrs May has praised the police, saying the handling of the incident "shows the police and intelligence services are on alert to keep use safe".

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The man was questioned by police near the House of Parliament
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Westminster map
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Two knives were seen on the floor next to a policeman
A spokesman for the Met Police said: “A man has been arrested in Whitehall this afternoon, at approximately 14:22, following a stop and search as part of an ongoing operation.

"The 27-year-old man was arrested in Parliament Street, junction with Parliament Square, by armed officers from the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command.

"He was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

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Police led the man away into a van
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The incident happened in Parliament Street at the junction with Parliament Square
"Knives have been recovered from him.

"He is being detained under the Terrorism Act and is in custody in a south London police station.

"Detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command are continuing their investigation, and as a result of this arrest there is no immediate known threat."

A pair of forensics officers wearing blue suits were seen meticulously assessing the scene, measuring and taking photographs of the knives in the direct aftermath.