A TERROR cell is suspected of plotting an attack on the Pride celebrations taking place in central London tomorrow.
A 28-year-old man and woman aged aged 25 are feared to have been planning a crude strike with a car and knives at the mass rally expected to be attended by up to a million people from around the world.
The couple were arrested on Wednesday morning in their car by counter-terror cops in Luton town centre, Beds.
It followed an intelligence-led joint investigation by the Met’s SO15 anti-terror branch and MI5.
A source said : “They were taken out at an early stage of suspected plans to hit the Pride march.’’
The couple were still being held in custody under as further unrelated arrests were made by cops in advance of the high profile Pride march for gay and transgender rights.
A 40-year-old Swedish woman was arrested at Gatwick airport on suspicion of the “commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.’’
She was held after arriving on a flight from Italy just before 2.15pm on Thursday.
Her arrest is understood to be related to the Islamic State group.
Meanwhile, a 19-year-old man was arrested by armed cops yesterday morning at an address in south west London on suspicion of plotting terrorist acts.
Police said the raid was not connected to the earlier Luton arrests but declined to provide any further information.
Raids were carried out at residential and business premises in Luton following the arrest of the Luton couple.
Computers and information storage devices were seized for analysis.
Saturday’s Pride march is expected to be the best-ever attended in London with people from around the world attending to celebrate gay rights and gender diversity.
Pride’s co-chairwoman Alison Camps said: “We are aiming to be the biggest ever.’’
A massive police presence will protect the Pride rally and events taking place across London.
Ms Camps said she wanted all LGBT attendees to feel secure at Pride.
Homophobic and transphobic hate crimes have more than doubled in England and Wales over the past five years.
Reported homophobic hate crimes across London have increased from 1,488 in 2014 to 2,308 in 2018, according to the Met.
