British police arrest six in anti-terrorist raid

British police raided a London home, shooting one person and arresting six others suspected of terrorism.

The raid on the evening of April 27 was prompted by intelligence-gathering and surveillance.

The raid itself was swift and forceful. Police used CS (tear gas) and charged in. One woman was shot and is in serious but stable condition.

“It’s pretty textbook for police,” explained Chris Phillips, former head of Britain’s National Counter Terrorism Security Office.

“You have to have a shock value when you approach dangerous people or else … you’re going to be delayed and you’re going to have difficulty to make the arrests and keep people safe. So, very fast, very quick and to the point. And of course police are potentially confronted then with dangers which they have to deal with,” he said.

Phillips emphasized that prompt action prevents even more victims.

“What you’ve seen today and yesterday is police preventing a terrorist attack,” he said. “When a person gets to the point of blowing themselves up or shooting people, it’s too late.”