Dramatic moment police burst into the suburban house of teacher, 21, 'who was plotting to murder a police officer after travelling to Syria to join ISIS'

  • Officers shot unarmed woman in raid on a suspected North London terrorist cell 
  • Earlier they arrested knifeman said to be on the verge of an attack in Whitehall
  • Mohamed Amoudi, a teacher suspected of being at the centre of alleged bomb plot, was investigated by police in 2015

Mohamed Amoudi has been linked to the controversial human rights group Cage

Mohamed Amoudi has been linked to the controversial human rights group Cage

Dramatic footage shows armed police outside the north London home of a 21-year-old teacher suspected of planning to murder a police officer.

Yesterday it emerged that Mohamed Amoudi was investigated for allegedly attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS, and was held by police in 2015.

A video clip taken from the street where the house was raided shows officers outside the home, and the woman filming it captured the moment shots were fired. 

Amoudi was arrested while trying to flee police while getting off a bus in Willesden Green. 

It is thought people arrested at the home included family members. His activity on social media expressing radical religious views had previously been investigated by police. 

Armed police were filmed outside the home in Willsden Green in north London, where the terror raid was carried out

Armed police were filmed outside the home in Willsden Green in north London, where the terror raid was carried out

He was planning to carry out an attack in a crowded tourist area, The Sun reports. 

He is one of seven people still being questioned by police, including a suspected knifeman arrested in the heart of Westminster, held after separate operations in London.

The swoops on a 27-year-old man in Whitehall and locations in north London and Kent were executed to contain 'threats' and an 'active' terror plot, Scotland Yard said.

Born in Yemen, Amoudi studied at Capital City Academy and was an active member of the university’s Islamic society.

Under the name Abu Umar Al-Hadrami, his Twitter feed, which has now been removed, included derogatory references to non-Muslims as ‘kuffar’ (unbelievers).

Front row seat: Mohamed Amoudi, circled, listens to controversial cleric Haitham al-Haddad at Queen Mary University of London

Two years ago Amoudi was stopped with two teenagers at Istanbul airport after their parents tipped off detectives. But police later released Amoudi – who has been linked to the controversial human rights group Cage – without charge. 

Shortly before he travelled to Turkey, Amoudi attended a talk by controversial cleric Haitham al-Haddad, who has been criticised for making homophobic remarks and supporting the death penalty for people who convert away from Islam. 

Amoudi was pictured in the front row of the event listening to the cleric as he said: ‘When the leaders of kuffar are happy with your religion, then know that you’ve deviated from the right path.’

Amoudi, who described himself as a teacher on an internet profile, was a regular worshipper at a small mosque on Willesden High Road.

Officers shot an unarmed woman in a raid on a suspected North London terrorist cell believed to be plotting an ‘imminent’ bomb attack

Officers shot an unarmed woman in a raid on a suspected North London terrorist cell believed to be plotting an ‘imminent’ bomb attack

One suspect, named as Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali, was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act and possession of offensive weapons close to Downing Street on Thursday afternoon.

Police recovered several knives during the 'intelligence-led' swoop, which took place yards from the scene of last month's deadly attack by Khalid Masood on Westminster Bridge.

Believed to be a British national born overseas who went to school in Tottenham, north London, Ali reportedly joined a humanitarian mission to Gaza in 2010.

Following his dramatic arrest in front of crowds of tourists, he was taken for questioning at a south London police station where he remains.

A further six people, including a 16-year-old boy, are in custody after they were detained in an unconnected operation that saw a team of specialist firearms officers storm an address in Willesden, north London.

They were all arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorist acts and taken to a south London police station for questioning.

Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said last night: ‘Our increased activity to combat terrorism over the last two years continues – both by police and security services' 

Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said last night: ‘Our increased activity to combat terrorism over the last two years continues – both by police and security services' 

A woman in her 20s who was shot during the raid is being held under police guard in hospital, where her condition was described as serious but stable.

She is expected to be arrested when her condition improves.

Elite armed officers carried out a 'specialist entry' into a terraced property in Harlesden Road shortly before 7pm on Thursday night.

Police fired CS gas into the address, which had been under observation as part of a current counter-terrorism operation.

Neighbours recalled hearing 'at least six' shots and screaming as police entered the address.

Ruth Haile, who lives in the road, said she later saw an injured woman being treated and shouting: 'Don't touch me, my body, don't touch my dress.'

Alexandra Sabanov, a mother-of-one who lived next door to the raided house, saw 'snipers' and officers wearing gas masks.

'We heard "bang, bang, bang, bang", went to the window and just saw a number of armed police just there with their guns pointing at our next-door neighbour's window,' she said.

Ms Sabanov said her neighbours were a 'standard Muslim couple' of whom she 'never suspected anything at all'.

Giving an update on the two operations, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said on Friday: 'Due to these arrests that have been made yesterday, in both cases I believe that we have contained the threats that they posed.'

Mr Basu said an armed entry was necessary in Willesden 'due to the nature of the intelligence that we were dealing with'.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed of the incident, which is routine for police shootings.

A total of six people were arrested in connection with the raid, including five at or near the address in north London and one in Kent.

Two of the arrests were made when a man and a woman, both aged 28, returned to the address later that night, Mr Basu said. Searches were also carried out at three London addresses.

Mr Basu said he wanted to reassure the public that officers were working around the clock to identify would-be terrorists.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd praised police and security services, adding that the public's role is 'crucial in identifying suspicious activity' and urged anyone with concerns to contact authorities.

The official threat level for international terrorism currently stands at severe, indicating that an attack is 'highly likely'.

It was revealed last month that security services have thwarted 13 potential attacks in less than four years.

Meanwhile in a separate raid on Friday, a 47-year-old woman was arrested at an east London address on suspicion of conspiring to fund and support terrorism.

She was taken for questioning at a south London police station as part of an 'ongoing investigation into the funding of terrorism in Syria', the Met said.

The arrest was not linked to Thursday's counter-terrorism arrests in London and inquiries are ongoing.

Yesterday the imam of the Daryl Taclim Cultural Centre in North London said of Amoudi: ‘He had been coming to the mosque since he came back from Turkey. I know there was trouble in Turkey but I don’t know the details. He was quiet, did not cause any trouble. He was a student so he did not come to prayers every day. Sometimes he came with his brother.’

The father of a close friend of Amoudi added: ‘I didn’t see anything like that in Amoudi.

‘I saw him six months ago. He said he wanted to be a university lecturer. This is a very, very good student. He hoped to be a university lecturer. He did physics.’ Caroline Franklin, Amoudi’s neighbour, said: ‘He seems like a lovely man. He has previously asked to do my gardening. He comes round and says: “Are there any odd jobs I can do?” He always says hello and pets my dog.

‘He lives with a woman who wears a niqab, I assume it’s his wife or girlfriend as she looks about 20 years old.’

Last night officers held a 47-year-old woman in a third unrelated terror investigation. She was held at an address in East London on suspicion of conspiring with others to fund and support terrorism.

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