Westminster attack: Seven arrested in raids in Birmingham and London linked

A number of people are arrested in the pre-dawn raid on a house in Birmingham, with some taken away in handcuffs, sources say.

Armed police have raided a home and closed off several roads in Birmingham.

A number of people have been arrested at the property, in Hagley Road in the Edgbaston area of the city, according to Sky sources.

A witness who works nearby told the Press Association: "The man from London lived here. They came and arrested three men."

Sky News has learned the raid is connected to the terror attack in Westminster on Wednesday, in which a police officer and three other people were killed by a man armed with knives.

Dozens of officers, some armed, were pictured outside the second floor flat, above a parade of shops, which was cordoned off by police.

Five Ways Island and several other routes near the home were also closed while specialist officers attended.

Roads around the address have now been reopened, but officers remain at the scene.

West Midlands Police referred enquiries about the incident to the Met Police, which said it was "not prepared to discuss the matter for operational reasons".

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Rowley, the Met Police's senior anti-terror officer, said seven people have been arrested following searches at six addresses in London, Birmingham and other parts of the country.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard on Thursday, he said two members of the public were fatally injured and PC Keith Palmer, a member of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Squad, was killed as he tried to stop the attacker at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

The suspect, armed with two knives, had injured 29 people after mowing down pedestrians with a car on Westminster Bridge before crashing into railings in front of Parliament.

He was shot dead after going through a gate towards the Palace of Westminster and attacking PC Palmer.

The two members of the public - a woman in her mid-40s and a man in his mid-50s - have not been identified.

Deputy Commissioner Rowley said authorities believe the attacker, who has also not been named, acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism.

He said: "There is no specific information about further threats to the public.

"We must not allow terrorists to sow discord and fear in our community."

Following the attack the Prime Minister said the UK's terror threat level would remain at severe.

The House of Lords and the House of Commons will sit at their normal times on Thursday.