Yorkshire: Leeds hospital terror alert triggered by man with ‘gun and explosives’

I have been following this most of the day. The incident at St James’ Hospital in Leeds appears to be safely closing down and the hospital is reopening in some areas. From The Yorkshire Evening Post, the Examiner and The Telegraph

A man was found with a “gun” and “suspicious devices” outside St James’s Hospital in Leeds this morning. Around 5am on Friday morning, a 27-year-old man was arrested after a suspicious package was found outside of the Gledhow Wing, and patients and staff were evacuated.  It is understood the suspect was arrested close to the hospital’s maternity unit.

A full statement has now been released by counter terrorism police, after Army bomb disposal experts were called out to the hospital in the early hours of this morning, following reports of a suspicious package. West Yorkshire Police have urged people to avoid the entrance to the Gledhow Wing and some wards were evacuated.

And when the suspicious package is somebody’s lunch box the bomb squad find out very quickly and can stand down within an hour of two. I’ll bet my bottom dollar this was real and so was the gun. 

A statement on behalf of Counter Terrorism Policing North East:

This is an update following the discovery of a suspicious package outside the Gledhow Wing of St James’s Hospital in Leeds.

At approximately 5am this morning, a 27-year-old man from Leeds was arrested on suspicion of firearms and explosives offences, after being found in possession of a suspected firearm and a suspicious device in the hospital grounds.

He was detained for questioning and remains in custody at this time.

There is not believed to be any ongoing risk to public safety. A cordon remains in place as a precautionary measure, but has now been reduced to facilitate greater access to the hospital. Specialist teams continue to work at the scene.

Searches of a vehicle and a number of premises are ongoing.

Counter Terrorism Policing North East has now taken responsibility for leading this investigation. Extensive enquiries are underway to establish the full circumstances of the incident and any potential motivation.

This is being treated as an isolated incident at this time. Always an isolated incident; these lone wolves, roving in packs. 

A statement from Leeds District:

Superintendent Dan Wood, of Leeds District, said: “This incident was brought to a safe conclusion by the work of the emergency services, and a man has been arrested in connection with it and remains in custody. . . We recognise that an incident of this nature will cause understandable public concern and we are linking with our partner agencies and key community representatives to reassure them and keep them informed.”

I know there are other terrorist organisations beyond the usual Islamic ones. But in all my years under the threat of the IRA I don’t remember ‘the community’ getting any particular reassurance. We don’t get such concern with animal rights threats or the current bogeyman , ‘right-wing’ extremists. But there is one community that always need soothing. Also the international press don’t sit up and take notice when the threat is from a local hunt saboteur, say, or a poor benighted soul from Fathers 4 Justice (who have been very quiet lately) 

We’ll know when this 27 year old man from Leeds comes to court.