UK Papal attack plot fizzles out as all six suspects released ‘without charge’

The Sunday Mirror this morning revealed that the men had simply been overheard sharing a joke in their canteen.

The BBC quoted Scotland Yard sources saying that the men posed “no credible threat”.

The six men, all believed to be Algerians, were arrested on Friday in London. The six are aged 26, 27, 29, 36, 40 and 50.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told journalists: "Six men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Friday 17 September, were all released without charge late on Saturday night and early this morning."

Police had searched eight homes in north and east London and two business premises in central London, including a street cleaning depot as part of the investigation.

The Metropolitan Police explained that the searches of the premises had been completed and had not revealed any weapons or suspicious materials..

One of the men, a 29-year-old, had been arrested at a home in north London shortly before 2pm on Friday.

The five other men, believed to be street cleaners, had been arrested at gunpoint as armed officers had swooped on their base as they prepared to start their shift shortly before 6am local time (7am Maltese time) on Friday.

They worked for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employed 650 on-street staff to keep the streets of Westminster clean.