Flats evacuated after counter terrorism police find two live bombs

Two live homemade bombs have been found in flat that was being done up in north west London.

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The devices were found in the unoccupied flat in Harlesden just after 9.30am morning.

The block in Craven Park was evacuated as the improvised explosive devices or IEDs were made safe.

Residents were allowed back home just after 6pm and counter terrorism detectives are “keeping an open mind as to how or why the devices came to be there.”

There have been no arrests and the investigation continues.

Scotland Yard said: “Detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have launched an investigation after two devices were found at an address in Harlesden.

“Police were called to an address in Craven Park at 9.34am today to reports of two suspicious devices found in an unoccupied flat which was in the process of being refurbished.

“Officers attended the address and as a precaution, the block of flats was evacuated and local road closures put in place whilst specialist officers assessed the two devices.

“Initial assessment was that they were both improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

“The two devices were subsequently made safe and recovered from the flat and are now undergoing further forensic examination.

“Further searches were also conducted in and around the block of flats and the area has now been deemed safe.

“Cordons around the block of flats were lifted at approximately 6pm at which point residents were able to return to their homes.

“Officers remain at the flat where the devices were found as they continue to carry out enquiries.

“Given the nature of the devices recovered, detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are now leading the investigation.

“At this early stage, officers are keeping an open mind as to how or why the devices came to be there.

Chief Superintendent Simon Rose, North West Command Unit said: “I’d like to thank local residents in the area for their patience and understanding whilst we dealt with this incident today.

“The public’s safety is our top priority, and I would like to pay tribute to the specialist officers who attended and were able to safely recover the devices.

“I also want to reassure the local community that we have carried out precautionary searches in the surrounding area to make sure there was nothing else of a similar nature nearby, which I’m pleased to confirm is the case.

“The next stage is to investigate how and why the two devices came to be in this flat and detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command will be leading this. “