Whitehall incident: Armed police make terror arrest as 'knifeman' tackled near Parliament

Armed police arrested a man on terror offences after he was found carrying "a bag of knives" in Westminster.

Scotland Yard said a knifeman was tackled yards from the Houses of Parliament after a stop and search was carried out as part of an "ongoing operation".

The man, 27, was detained on Parliament Street at just after 2.20pm, Scotland Yard said. Nobody was injured.

It is thought the suspected terrorist's plot was foiled thanks to an "intelligence-led" joint operation by MI5 and counter-terrorism police.

Photos shared on social media show a large carving knife lying on the pavement next to a smaller knife and a bag.

Reports by eyewitnesses claimed the suspect had been carrying "a rucksack of knives".

Luke William said he was driving past as police flooded the area. He told the Standard: “There was a man being held against a wall by armed police.

“On the floor was a backpack with knives falling out of it."

He added: "It didn't look like anyone was being attacked.”

Armed police descended on the area as the road, near to Westminster Bridge, was sealed off.

Photos showed a police cordon surrounding the bag, which had been discarded on a road traffic island. Armed police were seen detaining the bearded suspect, who was dressed in dark clothing, before wrestling him to the ground.

He was then seen pinned up against the wall of the HMRC offices being questioned by police before he was taken away in a police vehicle.

A forensic officer dressed in blue overalls photographed the knives and bent down to closely inspect the weapons.

The Met Police said the man was arrested at 2.22pm at the junction with Parliament Square during a stop and search. Scotland Yard confirmed they found knives on him.

Armed officers from the Met's special firearms squad arrested the man on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

He was detained under the Terrorism Act and is in custody in a south London police station.

According to Reuters news agency, a security source said the suspect was known to counter-terrorism police and British intelligence.

Prime Minister Theresa May was away from Number 10 on a campaign visit at the time of the incident on Thursday, which did not disrupt work in Downing Street, said a spokeswoman.

"This is an ongoing police operation and we are monitoring it," said the Number 10 spokeswoman.

"The Prime Minister has been informed by officials and she will be updated, as usual for incidents like this."

Traffic was brought to a standstill northbound on Parliament Street as police detained the man.

Ian Moss told the Standard: “I could see a person down on the floor in the middle traffic island. It looked like they were tending to him but kept him under cover of armed police.

“They later stood him up, handcuffed, and walked him over to the wall by HMRC.

“There were lots of armed police, 20 or so, unmarked and marked police cars. I was on a bus turning into Whitehall so was close to the incident but didn’t see how it had started.

“I could see items on the floor, which I assumed was a weapon but was not close enough to see.

“The whole incident lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. Everyone was very calm.”

An employee at HMRC said the main entrance to their building at 100 Parliament Street has been closed.

Recruiters Harry Peasnell, 27, and Andy Burnage, 22, were leaving the adjacent building which houses various Government offices after a meeting with officials when they were told over the Tannoy the usual entrance on to Whitehall was closed.

As they made their way back towards Parliament from the alternative House Guards Road entrance they said they were pushed back up Great George Street by several plain clothes police officers.

They then made their way to Parliament Square where they said they saw a man in his 20s or 30s, who they thought was the suspect, being spoken to by police next to the wall of the offices.

Mr Peasnell, who says he regularly has meetings in Westminster, said police were "quick on the scene" and that he was not worried like he was during the terror attack in the area just weeks ago.

"Last time all the buildings were on lockdown and no one was allowed to leave," he said.

The scare happened just yards from where Khalid Masood launched a terror attack in March which killed five, including PC Keith Palmer.

The officer was stabbed to death as he carried out his duties on the cobbled forecourt of the Palace of Westminster.

At around 4.15pm on Thursday, police started to open up the road.