Radical preacher Abu Qatada has been arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions, days ahead of the Government’s latest deportation bid in court.
UK Border Agency officials arrested Qatada yesterday, following raids by the Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism unit.
Searches at two residential homes and a business began on Thursday, while a search on a third property is ongoing, Scotland Yard said.
However no arrests have been made in connection with the police investigation.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK Border Agency arrested a 52-year-old man from north London for alleged breaches of his bail conditions imposed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).”
He added that the breach will be considered by SIAC at the earliest opportunity.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Searches at a residential addresses in north west London, a residential address in west London and a business address are in north west London have been completed.
“A search at a residential address in north-west London is ongoing.”
The searches were carried out in connection with ongoing inquiries by the Counter Terrorism Command, he added.
Qatada, who has been convicted of terror charges in Jordon, is due to appear at the Court of Appeal on Monday for Home Secretary Theresa May’s bid to overturn a judge’s decision to allow him to stay in the UK.