Metropolitan Police have completed their investigations into the six Muslim street cleaners arrested in connection with a plot to assassinate Pope Benedict, concluding there was “no credible threat” to the Holy Father.
The six men, who are employed by Veolia Environment Services, a company who carry out cleaning services for Westminster Council, are said to have been overheard in the office canteen “plotting an attack”. They we arrested on Friday on suspicion of “the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” but have since been released from custody.
At least five of the men are not British citizens. Most of them are Algerian, according to the BBC. Police refused to comment on reports that the men were “joking” about their intentions toward the Pope.
Following the arrests, the police reviewed the security arrangements for the Pope’s visit and concluded that no further action was necessary. There was no change to the itinerary of the trip.
The UK’s terror threat level remains “severe”, which means the authorities believe a terrorist attack of some kind to be highly likely, as it was before the Pope touched down in Scotland on Thursday.
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