British Police arrest five in London over threat to pope

Five men have been arrested in London over an alleged threat to the pope and police searches are under way at locations across the British capital, police said today.Pope Benedict XVI is in London on the second day of a four-day visit to Britain.

Londons police force says the men, between the ages of 26 and 50, were arrested under the terrorism act at a business in central London. Police declined to say whether the men were British or give details of their ethnicity. Officials said information of a potential plot against the pope had been received overnight prompting the armed operation to arrest the five men early Friday morning.

The men are being questioned at a London police station and have not been charged. Police said initial searches have not uncovered any hazardous items. The popes visit has divided opinion in officially Protestant, highly secular Britain. The trip has been overshadowed by disgust over the Catholic Churchs clerical abuse scandal and opposition from secularists.