VIDEO: Five arrested over Pope terrorism alert

The arrests were made at 06.45 am local time, at addresses in London after counter-terrorism officers received intelligence information of a potential threat.

The five men have been taken to a central London police station, and some are confirmed to be Algerian while none are British. They were arrested at  Veolia Chiltern's street depot, which employs 650 on-street staff to keep Westminster's streets free from rubbish.

The Metropolitan police said in a statement that the five men had been arrested in an operation launched by the Counter-Terrorism Command force, on suspicion of preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The men are 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50 years old, and were arrested during  an armed operation, although no shots were fired.

Earlier today, the Pope attended an assembly of children at a Catholic college in West London. It has not yet been established whether the investigations relate to a plot against the Pope himself of a specific part of his visit.

A statement from the force said ""Following today's arrests policing arrangements for the papal visit were reviewed and we are satisfied our current policing plan remains appropriate. The itinerary has not changed. There is no change to the UK threat level."

Top police officers from England and Scotland, who planned the security arrangements for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit, included such factors as threat assessment, safe transport and the need to control crowds during the major events.

Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi announcing that the Papal visit would go on despite the five arrests (courtesy of ITN News Channel)

In the Pope's third speech on Friday,  he says everyone should have "freedom to follow one's conscience" without suffering persecution (courtesy of ITN News Channel)

Pope arrives for The Big Question (courtesy ITN News Channel)