Anti-terror detectives have arrested a man after two improvised explosive devices (IED) were found in a Harlesden flat.

A 48-year-old man was arrested by the Met Police's Counter Terrorism Command at a home in north London on Thursday morning (November 22) in connection with the investigation at a flat in Craven Park throughout Wednesday (November 21).

The Harlesden road was evacuated and blocked off by police from 9.30am on Wednesday, with surrounding roads closed as well, after the suspicious devices were found in an empty flat that was being refurbished.

The block of flats was evacuated and specialist officers confrmed they were both IEDs.

The explosives were made safe before being removed from the flat, and specialists are forensically examining them as part of the counter-terror investigation.

Anti-terror officers arrested the man on suspicion of an offence contrary to section 4 Explosives Substances Act 1883.

He was taken to a south London police station where he remained in custody at 10am on Thursday.

A Met Police spokesperson said at this early stage of the investigation, detectives do not believe that the arrested man has links to any terrorist organisations, or that there are any ongoing public safety issues.

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

Cordons around the block of flats were lifted at about 6pm on Wednesday, at which point residents were able to return to their homes.

Chief Superintendent Simon Rose, of the Met’s North West Command Unit, thanked residents for their patience and understanding.

He said: “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.”

To report any suspicious behaviour or activity to police, you can do so in confidence by going to gov.uk/ACT or calling 0800 789 321.