Twelve arrested over terror threat to Islamic festival

July 13, 2026

From the Telegraph and the Ipswich Star

Twelve people have been arrested in connection with an alleged far-Right terror plot to target a large gathering of Muslims.

The UK Ijtima event, in Shrubland Hall, Suffolk, was forced to close early on Sunday after counter-terrorism police learned of a potential “serious threat”. It was scheduled to finish today, Monday the 13th.

The following arrests were made around the country:

Five men, aged 27, 29, 55, 60 and 82 were arrested in Surrey
A 35-year-old man was arrested in Greater Manchester
Two men, both 42, were arrested in Essex
A man, 33, was arrested in southeast London
One woman, 48, and a man, 31, were arrested in east London
A man, 27, was arrested in Ipswich

The arrests were made as part of an investigation by counter-terrorism police into “extreme Right-wing terrorism”.

This is the background as I reported in April

Around 15,000 people gathered at the event in Shrubland Hall, a Georgian manor house near Barham, a small village in Suffolk.

Organisers said the event involved prayer, communal meals and religious lectures.

The Ipswich Star and East Anglian Daily Times were given exclusive access to attend the UK Ijtima at Shrubland Park in Barham on Saturday evening.

Large tents were built on the site to provide both an area for people camping at the event, but also an area for people to pray out of the sun. A Mid Suffolk Council spokeswoman had previously confirmed no activities at the event required a licence.

Ipswich councillor Ruman Muhith who has assisted organisers said: “I had the opportunity to attend the UK Ijtima at Shrubland Estate on both Friday and Saturday, and I was pleased to see first-hand a well-organised, peaceful and professionally managed event. Throughout my time at the gathering, I observed a strong emphasis on community, respect and good order. . . “

I wore a Thawb, a traditional, ankle-length, loose-fitting robe worn primarily by men. I was not required to do so but wished to ensure I was appropriately dressed.

Two comments on the newspaper

I do happen to wonder if that Newsquest scribbler, Oli Picton, have actually ever heard the term ‘cultural appropriation’?

and

What a great shame and immense pity that Newsquest did not actually send one of their numerous female scribblers to actually both attend on, and report on this controversial / divisive Islamic UK Ijtima, Shrubland Hall estate event. For this female Newsquest scribbler would have no doubt been conditionally forced to have worn either a hijab, niab or some kind of other religious head / facial covering, as well as being very stringently segregated from any kind of mixing with members of the opposite sex.

In all the photographs I can’t see a single woman, for an ostensibly ‘family’ gathering.

Organisers addressed pressing questions that had arisen on social media regarding the organisation behind the Ijtima. The missionary group Nizam Uddin is banned by some Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia, this is due to political fears that large gatherings teaching fundamental Islamic principles such as democracy could stir up resentment against regimes. Islamic Relief, which is one of the largest charities in the world, is also banned in the region with autocratic governments not wanting to be seen in a poor light, but has led some to believe that there are links to terrorism.

The event had prompted controversy after it emerged that it had been organised by the Markazi Mosque in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, which is a Sunni place of worship that is the European headquarters of the ultra-conservative Tablighi Jamaat sect. Also responsible for the site in West Ham which was intended to be the new HQ (aka the mega-mosque) and desite a court order a decade ago granting the land to Newham Council for community redevelopement they still occupy.

The Ipswich reporter said I attended the event on a Saturday evening, which was the busiest day of the four and was welcomed by everyone there. Arriving in the evening, the event was well managed, and there were trained security and high-viz marshals across the entire site managing both crowds and traffic.

Calls to prayer were spoken through speakers, which inside the estate appeared to be at a level for those attending not to disturb the wider community.

Alongside the tents there were food vendors, ice cream and market stalls. Litter and rubbish were collected in bags and stacked together, and litter picks were carried out by volunteers from the various groups at the event all helping to keep the park clean.

Officers from Suffolk Police were stationed nearby in the grounds, to both aid with road closures but also to provide security.

Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, said it was “deeply concerning news” for British Muslims and warned that the country must unite and “stand against hatred”. Like against the hateful person who murdered veteran politician Ann Widdecombe last week?

Asst Chief Constable Alice Scott, of Suffolk Constabulary, said: “We understand that the arrests and the context behind them may well cause some concern amongst our local communities.

“To provide some level of reassurance we will have a visible police presence in the area of Shrubland Hall over the coming days and we welcome local people to speak to us on the matter if they wish to. The situation was declared a major incident early on Sunday morning with a multi-agency response convened to ensure a safe and properly coordinated departure from the event of the 15,000 attendees. The major incident status was withdrawn earlier today.”

Keir Starmur is still in post – there are procedures before the King of the North can acceed (one being the possibility he might have other candidates in the leadership race, but no-one else wants the poisoned chalice) and is getting justified criticism for his X post. He WON’T tolerate attacks on Muslims; he does tolerate attacks on Jews and white English. I was premature with my Last Sneer from 2 Tier Kier last month.

Anyway, to return to the most pressing matter, the alleged terror plot, it has been pointed out that the arrests were from areas so far apart, and so late in the course of the gathering that a mass attack seems highly unlikely to have been the plan. One man is aged 82! We’ll wait and see what comes out if and when full charges are brought.