UK police arrest terror suspect, conduct controlled blast

About 30 people were evacuated from their homes before the controlled explosion, which was intended to disarm any potential explosive device.

UKpolice (photo credit: AP)
UKpolice
(photo credit: AP)
Police carried out a controlled explosion in the southwestern city of Bristol early Friday, following the arrest of a 19-year-old man the day before under Britain's Terrorism Act, officials said. About 30 people were evacuated from their homes before the controlled explosion, which was intended to disarm any potential explosive device, the British news agency Press Association said. The suspect remained in custody, and material from the blast was retrieved for analysis, police said. "During yesterday and overnight, Avon and Somerset Constabulary have been co-ordinating a number of covert inquiries," said Assistant Chief Constable Jackie Roberts. "As a result, a 19-year-old man was arrested yesterday afternoon under the Terrorism Act 2000. He has been taken to a police station within the force area and a warrant was executed to search his home in the Westbury-on-Trym area. "A number of people were evacuated from neighboring homes as a precaution, and just after 2 am this the morning the Explosives Ordnance Disposal Team conducted a controlled explosion at the location." Roberts added that "this is likely to be a prolonged, complex and sensitive inquiry which may take some time."