The Government's terrorism watchdog is to investigate the arrests of
six men questioned by police in London over an alleged plot to attack
the Pope.
Lord Carlile of Berriew will examine whether the
Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism officers were justified in
detaining the men in armed raids during Pope Benedict XVI's visit in
September.
All six men were released without charge after being arrested in London.
The
review, to be announced by Home Secretary Theresa May, will look at
whether the police used their powers correctly when they arrested the
men and whether there was any other way they could have dealt with the
suspected threat, according to London's Evening Standard.
The Home Office said it could not comment on the report.
Police
searched eight homes in north and east London and two business premises
in central London, including a street cleaning depot, as part of the
investigation.
Searches of the premises did not disclose any weapons or suspicious materials, Scotland Yard said.
Reports
at the time suggested the men, aged 26, 27, 29, 36, 40 and 50, had
simply been overheard sharing a joke in their canteen.
One of the
men, 29, was arrested at a home in north London shortly before 2pm on
Friday September 17.
The five other men, believed to be street cleaners,
were arrested at gunpoint as armed officers swooped on their base as
they prepared to start their shift shortly before 6am on the same day.
They
worked for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs
650 on-street staff to keep the streets of Westminster clean.
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