13th July - Authorities Identify a Credible Threat to a UK Iijtima Event at Shrubland Hall

Over the weekend, authorities identified a credible threat to a UK Ijtima event at Shrubland Hall, a location which is just north of Ipswich in Suffolk.

Suffolk Police and Counter Terrorism Policing acted swifty to address this threat and have arrested twelve individuals in connection with their investigation, including one man who was arrested in Ipswich.

The investigation is related to extreme right-wing terrorism, but enquiries remain ongoing, so there are limitations to the information that can be shared publicly at this stage, and it is important that we do not speculate and allow the police to do their job - we would not want to say anything would could risk the operation.

I want to pay tribute to the exceptional work of Suffolk Police. They work tirelessly to keep us safe, often in the shadows without fanfare, but on this and so many other occasions, they deserve our gratitude. Their actions undoubtedly saved many lives.

It is essential to highlight the work of Counter Terrorism Policing, the Local Resilience Forum, other emergency services too. These partnerships are crucial when conducting operations of this nature.

I know this incident will cause deep concern, particularly within our Muslim communities in Ipswich and Suffolk. Our town and county are welcoming and inclusive, and we must come together to reject this sort of hatred towards our friends and neighbours.