A man is being held for allegedly attempting a terror attack after being arrested near the Houses of Parliament.
The Metropolitan Police said the 27-year-old suspect was stopped by armed officers in Parliament Street for a search “as part of an ongoing operation”.
“The man, aged in his late twenties, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism,” a spokesperson added.
“Knives have been recovered from him. He is being detained under the Terrorism Act and is in custody in a south London police station.”
Scotland Yard said the investigation had been handed to its Counter Terrorism Command and that there was “no immediate known threat” to the public.
At least one knife was visible on the ground next to a rucksack following the incident shortly before 2.30pm on Thursday.
Whitehall, which houses several government departments, was temporarily shut off by police as the operation continues.
The road was quickly reopened to traffic after witnesses saw the suspect being handcuffed and taken away by armed police.
The man was detained yards from Parliament, where a suspected Isis supporter killed five people in a car and knife rampage last month.
Khalid Masood was shot dead after killing four people on Westminster Bridge before crashing his car and stabbing PC Keith Palmer dead at the entrance to the House of Commons.
Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, following atrocities across Europe in response to its calls for followers to target "disbelievers" in the West.
